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James: 

The  Epistle  of  Reality 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/jamesepistleofreOOmaur 


James: 


The  Epistle  of  Reality 


By  PHILIP  MAURO 


AUTHOR  OP  THE  WORLD  AND  ITS  GOD,  THE  NUM¬ 
BER  OF  MAN,  LIFE  IN  THE  WORD,  EVOLU¬ 
TION  AT  THE  BAR,  THE  SEVENTY  WEEKS 
AND  THE  GREAT  TRIBULATION,  THE 
KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN,  WHAT  IS 
IT?  .ETC.,  ETC. 

“Be  ye  doers  of  the  Word  and 
not  hearers  only ” 


HAMILTON  BROTHERS 
Scripture  Truth  Depot 
120  Tremont  Street,  Boston  9,  Mass. 


Copyright  1923 
By  Hamilton  Bros. 
Printed  in  the 
United  States  of  America 


CONTENTS 


FOREWORD . 

The  Epistle  of  James  contains  a  special  message 
for  these  last  days;  and  the  fifth  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  is  peculiarly  applicable  to  the  present 
times. 


CHAPTER  I . 

The  unity  of  “the  Doctrine  of  Christ”  and  the 
diversity  of  the  instruments  employed  in  setting 
it  forth.  “James,  the  Lord’s  brother,”  Josephus’ 
reference  to  James.  Special  characteristics  of 
James’  ministry.  Contrast  with  Paul.  Judaism, 
the  true  and  the  false.  The  Continuity  of  the 
Doctrine.  The  Olive  Tree.  The  Israel  of  God. 


CHAPTER  II  . 

Israel  and  Judah  re-united  during  the  Captivity. 
No  “Ten  Lost  Tribes.”  The  “Dispersion.”  “The 
Jews’  Religion.”  The  Externals  of  Religion  done 
away. 


CHAPTER  III . 

Faith  and  Patience.  Comfort  in  Tribulation. 
Wisdom  a  Gift  to  be  asked  for.  Asking  in  Faith. 
The  “double-minded  man.”  Christian  Equality. 
“All  flesh  is  Grass.’” 


CHAPTER  IY  . 

Temptations  are  of  two  sorts  (1)  trials,  tribula¬ 
tions,  reproaches,  persecutions  and  the  like; 
(2)  enticements  to  sin.  Temptations  of  the  first 
sort  come  from  God,  but  not  the  other.  The 
Father  of  Lights.  The  Children  of  Light.  Swift 
to  Hear,  Slow  to  Speak.  The  Implanted  Word 
Saving  the  Soul.  Difference  between  Soul  and 
Spirit.  The  Perfect  law  of  Liberty. 


6 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  V  . 

Pure  Religion  and  the  Faith  of  Christ.  Respect 
of  persons  forbidden,  and  why.  All  distinctions 
and  all  social  and  other  inequalities  are  done 
away  in  Christ.  God  has  chosen  the  poor,  rich 
in  faith. 

CHAPTER  VI  . 

Faith  and  Works.  Justification  by  Faith  and 
Justification  by  Works.  Harmony  of  Paul  and 
James.  The  belief  of  demons.  Teachers  and 
the  Tongue.  The  Uncontrollable  Member. 

CHAPTER  VII . 

Wisdom  from  Above.  Its  Source  and  Nature. 
Contrast  with  natural  wisdom.  The  Fruit  of 
Righteousness. 

CHAPTER  VIII . 

Wars  and  Fightings.  Strife  within  and  with¬ 
out.  Friendship  with  the  World.  Spiritual 
Adultery,  Humility  and  Pride.  “He  Giveth  More 
Grace.”  Evil  Speaking  and  its  consequences. 
The  Uncertainty  of  Life  a  rebuke  to  Pride. 

CHAPTER  IX . 

The  Last  Days.  Heaping  up  Riches.  The  Ulti¬ 
mate  development  of  Capitalism.  The  Conflicts 
of  “Capital”  and  “Labor”  foretold.  The  Ap¬ 
proaching  “Miseries”  of  the  Rich.  Moth  and 
Rust.  The  “Profiteers.”  Lovers  of  Pleasures. 
Indulgences  of  the  Last  Days. 

CHAPTER  X . 

The  Coming  of  the  Lord.  The  Patience  of  Job. 
God’s  purposes  in  sicknesses  and  other  afflic¬ 
tions.  Oaths. 

CHAPTER  XI  . 

God’s  directions  to  His  people  when  sick.  Sins 
and  Sicknesses  of  God’s  people.  The  duty  of 
the  sick  one,  of  the  elders,  of  the  saints  in 
general.  “In  the  Name  of  the  Lord.”  “The 
Prayer  of  Faith”;  Is  it  a  special  kind  of  pray¬ 
er?  Our  thoughts  and  God’s. 

CHAPTER  XII 

The  Example  of  Elijah.  His  Prayer.  The  Lat¬ 
ter  Rain  and  the  Harvest  of  the  Earth.  Convert¬ 
ing  a  Brother  and  Saving  a  Soul  from  Death. 


Foreword 


WE  send  forth  these  meditations  upon  the 
Epistle  of  James  under  the  deep  conviction 
that  that  portion  of  the  Word  of  God  has 
special  application  to  these  last  and  “perilous”  times, 
and  that  it  contains  special  lessons  and  admonitions 
for  the  present  generation  of  believers  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  The  last  chapter  of  the  Epistle  in  par¬ 
ticular  brings  us  to  a  place  in  the  stretch  of  years  of 
this  Gospel  dispensation,  where  “the  coming  of  the 
Lord”  is  imminent,  and  where  conditions  are  such 
that  the  saints  are  not  to  expect  or  pray  for  relief 
from  them,  but  rather  to  bear  them  with  patience  un¬ 
til  He  comes.  This  will  be  pointed  out  more  fully  in 
our  comments  upon  Chapter  V. 

Such  being  the  character  of  the  Epistle  of  James, 
we  count  it  a  duty,  as  well  as  a  great  privilege,  to 
put  forth  a  volume  designed  to  press  its  highly  prac¬ 
tical  and  exceedingly  precious  message  upon  the  at¬ 
tention  of  the  household  of  faith. 

Moreover,  our  conviction  as  to  the  present  applica¬ 
tion  of  James  is  in  nowise  weakened  by  the  fact  that, 
in  our  day,  a  doctrine  has  sprung  up  and  spread  it¬ 
self  in  orthodox  and  evangelical  circles,  according  to 
which  the  message  and  ministry  of  James  are  not  for 
this  Gospel  dispensation  at  all,  but  for  “Jewish 
Christians”  (to  use  a  current  expression)  who  are  to 
be  converted  after  “the  church”  shall  have  been 
taken  away  from  the  earth.  Rather  is  our  conviction 
as  to  the  present  application  and  importance  of  James 


8 


FOREWORD 


greatly  strengthened  by  that  phase  of  “modernism” 
which  seeks  to  cast  discredit  upon  it;  for  we  see  in 
that  new  doctrine  an  attempt  of  the  “spirit  of  error” 
to  despoil  God’s  people  in  this  day  of  truth  which 
was  intended  specially  for  them  by  the  “Spirit  of 
Truth.”  For  it  is  a  matter  of  the  deepest  signifi¬ 
cance  that  the  particular  phase  of  modernism  to 
which  we  refer  is  confined  to  those  groups  of  believers 
who  hold,  and  who  prominently  feature,  the  pre- 
millennial  and  imminent  coming  again  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

This  little  volume  is  sent  forth  with  the  author’s 
“heart’s  desire  and  prayer  to  God”  that  it  may,  un¬ 
der  His  blessing,  be  of  some  service  to  His  beloved 
people  in  the  increasingly  perilous  times  of  the  end. 

Philip  Mauro. 

R.  R.  1,  Framingham,  Mass. 

October,  1923. 


James: 


The  Epistle  of  Reality 

CHAPTER  i. 

Unity  and  Diversity.  The  Teaching  and  The 

Teachers 

“Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same 
Spirit”  (1  Cor.  12:4). 

THE  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  have  for 
their  manifest  purpose  to  present  Jesus 
Christ  and  His  Doctrine.  Christ  is  the  Per¬ 
son  in  Whom  men  are  to  believe  for  their  salvation; 
and  His  “  Teaching’ '  is  that  which  is  to  shape  in  all 
particulars  the  lives  and  walk  of  His  disciples.  Christ 
Himself  is  presented  to  us  in  the  four  Gospels.  His 
doctrine  is  presented  in  His  own  utterances  recorded 
in  the  Gospels,  and  also  in  Epistles  written  by  certain 
of  His  servants,  who  were  chosen  and  equipped  for 
that  ministry,  under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  ! 

It  is  recorded  of  those  who  were  first  converted 
under  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven,  that  they  “continued 
stedfastly  in  the  apostles 7  doctrine  ”  that  is  to  say, 
in  all  things  which  the  apostles  taught  (Acts  2:42). 

From  this  it  appears  that  the  apostles  were  the  in¬ 
struments  chosen  and  qualified  by  the  Lord  to 
“  teach  ”  His  people  at  the  beginning,  or  more  ac¬ 
curately  we  might  say,  to  impart  to  them  His  own 


10 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


teaching ;  and  prominent  among  those  who  were 
chosen  for  that  great  ministry  was  one  whom  Paul 
speaks  of  as  “James  the  Lord’s  brother”  (Gal.  1:19). 
To  him  the  Lord  appeared  specially  (1  Cor.  15:7); 
and  by  him  the  decisions  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of 
the  church  at  Jerusalem  were  announced  (Acts 
15  :13)  * 

It  is  a  part  of  God’s  wise  plan  that  His  “doc¬ 
trine,  ’  ’  which  is  one  harmonious  whole  and  is  invaria¬ 
bly  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  in  the  singular 
— always  the  doctrine,  never  the  doctrines—should  be 
imparted  to  His  people  through  men  who  differed 
greatly  among  themselves  in  their  respective  make¬ 
up,  and  whose  diverse  characteristics  appear  very  dis¬ 
tinctly  in  their  respective  writings.  It  is  highly  im¬ 
portant  that  we  should  take  note  both  of  the  oneness 
of  the  doctrine  and  of  the  diversity  of  the  ways  and 
aspects  wherein  that  doctrine  is  presented  by  the  sev¬ 
eral  apostles  and  teachers  who  were  commissioned  by 
the  Lord  to  set  it  forth,  and  to  give  it  its  final  and 
complete  form  for  all  time. 

First  of  all  then,  let  us  fix  in  our  minds,  and  keep 
always  in  view,  the  great  fact  that  “the  doctrine”  is 
ever  the  same.  The  Holy  Spirit  has  taken  pains  to 

*Josephus,  in  his  Antiquities  of  the  Jews  (Bk.  XX, 
IX:  1),  records  the  death  of  James,  in  the  days  of  Albinus, 
who  succeeded  Festus  as  the  Roman  procurator  of  Judea. 
When  the  apostle  Paul  made  his  last  visit  to  Jerusalem, 
James  was  there  (Acts  21:18).  This  was  in  the  days  of 
Felix.  He  was  succeeded  soon  after  by  Festus,  whose  term 
of  office  was  short.  Josephus  says:  “Festus  was  now  dead, 
and  Albinus  was  upon  the  road,  so  he  (Ananus,  the  high 
priest)  assembled  the  sanhedrim  of  judges,  and  brought 
before  them  the  brother  of  Jesus,  who  was  called  Christ, 
whose  name  was  James,  and  some  others;  and  when  he 
had  formed  an  accusation  against  them  as  breakers  of  the 
law,  he  delivered  them  to  be  stoned.”  But,  according  to 
Whiston,  James  was  not  put  to  death  at  that  time. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


11 


make  this  quite  plain.  To  begin  with  “the  doctrine” 
(or  teaching)  of  Christ  is  spoken  of  about  forty  times 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  without  exception  the 
word  is,  as  already  stated,  used  in  the  singular.  This 
is  the  more  impressive  because  of  the  marked  con¬ 
trast  with  those  passages  which  speak  of  “the  doc¬ 
trines  of  men,”  “the  doctrines  of  demons,”  “diverse 
and  strange  doctrines ,”  etc.  Here  we  have  a  strong, 
though  an  unobtrusive,  witness  to  the  fact  that, 
whereas  there  is  confusion  and  contrariety  in  all 
other  “teachings,”  the  “teaching”  of  Christ  which 
is  the  law  of  His  Kingdom,  is  ever  in  perfect  harmony 
with  itself. 

If  we  keep  this  fact  constantly  in  mind,  it  will 
guard  us  against  the  error  and  folly  of  setting  the 
teaching  of  one  apostle  against  another;  and  also 
from  the  error  of  supposing,  for  example,  that,  as 
between  Paul  and  James,  there  is  the  slightest  con¬ 
tradiction  or  disagreement,  whether  in  regard  to  the 
justifying  of  the  sinner,  or  in  regard  to  the  gospel 
preached  by  them  respectively,  or  in  regard  to  any 
other  point  of  the  one  and  unchangeable  “doctrine  of 
Christ. 7  ’ 

The  very  fact  that  Paul  went  up  to  Jerusalem  “by 
revelation”  to  compare  his  preaching  with  that  of  the 
other  apostles  (Gal.  2:1)  is  proof  that  they  were  all 
charged  to  speak  the  same  thing. 

Moreover  Paul  expressly  declares — and  it  would  be 
well  for  some  of  our  modern  teachers  to  take  note  of 
this — that  whether  the  gospel  were  preached  by  him¬ 
self,  or  by  those  who  were  apostles  before  him,  it  was 
always  the  same  identical  gospel  (1  Cor.  15:1-11). 

As  to  the  diversity  of  gift  between  the  several  wri¬ 
ters  of  the  various  Epistles,  written  at  different  times 


12 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


to  tlie  one  “household  of  faith/’  which  diversity  is 
very  apparent  in  their  respective  writings,  it  is  easy 
to  see  that  God  had  a  wise  purpose  in  this.  For  ob¬ 
viously  the  diversity  upon  which  we  are  remarking 
serves  the  great  end  of  instructing  the  people  of  God 
in  the  way  of  righteousness,  far  better  than  it  would 
have  been  served  if  the  teaching  had  been  given  to 
them  through  one  human  channel  only.  For  one 
apostle  dwells  upon  and  exemplifies  one  feature  or 
aspect  of  the  truth,  while  another  brings  to  our  minds 
a  different  feature  or  aspect  of  the  same  truth.  Thus 
we  are  stimulated  to  compare  Scripture  with  Scrip¬ 
ture;  and  by  getting  here  a  little  and  there  a  little, 
we  build  up  a  solid  and  well  balanced  structure  of 
“sound  doctrine.” 


Paul  and  James 

Specifically  as  between  Paul  and  James,  it  is  evi¬ 
dent,  as  Augustus  Meander  has  pointed  out,  that  Paul 
presents  “the  doctrine  of  Christ”  (or  for  a  shorter 
term  we  might  say  “Christianity” — by  which  we 
mean  all  that  Christ  is,  and  did,  and  taught)  in  its 
great  contrast  with  the  Phariseeism,  or  false  Juda¬ 
ism  (Gal.  1 :13,  14),  in  which  he  had  been  reared,  and 
from  which  he  was  so  miraculously  delivered  and 
“separated.”  James,  on  the  other  hand,  wholly  ig¬ 
nores  Phariseeism,  or  false  Judaism,  and  views  Chris¬ 
tianity  as  the  consummation  and  completion  of  true 
Judaism.  He  sees  Christ  as  completing  and  perfect¬ 
ing  the  revelation  given  through  the  prophets ;  where¬ 
as  Paul,  while  not  failing  to  exhibit  the  continuity  of 
the  teaching  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  that  of  the 
Old  Testament,  dwells  mainly  upon  Christ  as  antag¬ 
onizing  and  overthrowing  the  doctrines  of  the  Phari- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


13 


sees  and  Rabbis,  by  whom  the  truth  of  God  had  been 
grossly  distorted  and  perverted. 

For  it  is  important  that  we  should  remember,  in 
reading  the  Gospels,  that  in  the  Judaism  of  Christ's 
day  there  were  current  among  the  Jews,  first  “the 
Scriptures being  the  Septuagint  translation  into 
vernacular  Greek  of  “the  Law  and  the  Prophets” 
(what  is  now  our  Old  Testament),  and  second  “ the 
traditions  of  the  elders being  a  complete  mass  of 
doctrines,  handed  down  by  word  of  mouth  (as  Peter 
says  “received  by  tradition  from  your  fathers,”  1 
Pet.  1:18),  but  later  on  reduced  to  writing  (from 
about  the  third  century,  A.  D.)  and  known  as  the 
Talmud,  Mishnah,  etc.  Now  one  of  the  serious  condi¬ 
tions  of  that  day  was  that  “the  traditions  of  the  el¬ 
ders”  were  more  venerated  and  held  to  be  of  higher 
authority  than  the  “writings”  (Scriptures).  For  it 
was  one  of  the  fictions  of  the  Rabbis  that  the  “tradi¬ 
tions”  as  well  as  the  “law”  had  been  received  by 
Moses,  and  that  the  former  had  been  handed  down  by 
word  of  mouth  because  they  were  too  sacred  to  be 
committed  to  writing. 

Thus  our  Lord,  in  presenting  His  “doctrine,”  was 
confronted  with  the  complex  task  of  (1)  disentang¬ 
ling  the  Scriptures  from  the  oral  traditions;  (2)  es¬ 
tablishing  the  former  as  that  which  “cannot  be  brok¬ 
en,”  and  whereof  “not  one  jot  or  tittle  should  pass 
away”;  (3)  overthrowing  the  traditions  of  the  elders; 
and  (4)  restating  the  law  of  God  in  the  form  in  which 
it  was  to  be  received  by  His  own  people,  and  written 
in  their  hearts.  This  truly  was  a  stupendous  task. 

As  an  illustration  of  what  we  mean  by  the  con¬ 
trast  between  the  ministry  of  Paul  and  that  of  James, 
we  would  point  to  the  fact  that,  when  Paul  speaks  of 


14 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


justification  by  faith,  he  seeks  specially  to  clear  that 
precious  truth  from  all  connection  with  those  dead  le¬ 
gal  1  ‘works”  wherewith  the  Rabbis  had  cumbered  it, 
and  whereby  they  had  virtually  destroyed  it;  where¬ 
as  James,  in  speaking  of  the  very  same  truth,  ignores 
the  legalism  of  the  Eabbis,  and  lays  emphasis  upon 
the  fact  that  the  ‘ 1  faith  ’  ’  which  God  counts  for  right¬ 
eousness  is  a  “live”  or  real  faith,  manifesting  itself 
as  such  by  its  works.” 

Thus,  whereas  Paul  defines  true  righteousness  by 
distinguishing  it  from  those  “works,”  which,  form  no 
part  of  it,  James  defines  it  by  the  “works”  which  do 
specially  characterize  it  and  prove  its  existence. 
Hence,  as  between  these  two  views,  while  there  is  di¬ 
versity  in  the  presentation  of  the  doctrine,  there  is 
perfect  agreement  as  regards  the  doctrine  itself.  It 
follows  that,  for  a  complete  and  well-balanced  view  of 
justification  by  faith,  we  must  study  it  in  both  Paul’s 
and  James’  epistles. 

The  difference  to  which  we  have  alluded  above  finds 
its  immediate  explanation  (though  God’s  hand  was 
behind  it  all)  in  the  fact  that,  while  James  was 
brought  up  from  his  childhood  in  the  same  family 
with  the  Lord,  and  in  familiar  intercourse  with  Him 
during  the  days  of  His  flesh,  and  hence  had  his  early 
ideas  more  or  less  shaped  by  that  intercourse,  Paul 
never  came  into  contact  with  the  Lord  and  never 
heard  His  teachings  on  earth,  but  on  the  contrary 
was  steeped,  during  his  early  years,  in  the  teachings 
of  the  Eabbis  (Acts  22:3).  Hence  he  was,  at  his  con¬ 
version,  wrenched  violently  away  from  a  complete 
system  of  dead  religious  works.  How  inevitable  then 
that  “the  Gospel  of  God  concerning  His  Son,”  to 
which  he  found  himself  suddenly  “separated”  (Rom. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


15 


1:1-3),  would  always  appear  in  his  eyes  in  its  com¬ 
plete  antagonism  to  that  system  in  which  he  had  been 
reared,  and  of  which  he  had  been  so  blindly  zealous. 

Jews  and  Gentiles 

In  order  to  understand  the  relations  of  the  several 
books  of  the  New  Testament  we  must  bear  also  in 
mind  the  great  difference  which  then  existed  between 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  must  remember  that  the  Jew 
deemed  himself  the  monopolist  of  Divine  favor,  while 
regarding  Gentiles  as  so  unclean  and  defiling  that  it 
was  forbidden  to  go  into  their  houses  and  eat  with 
them  (Acts  10:28).  But  the  one  gospel  was  now  to 
be  presented  on  precisely  the  same  terms  to  these  two 
diverse  and  antagonistic  classes.  Because  of  this,  and 
because  the  opportunities  for  the  gospel  were  at  the 
first  enormously  greater  among  the  Jews  than  among 
Gentiles,  there  was  a  division  of  labor  and  responsi¬ 
bility  between  the  apostles,  according  to  which  it  was 
arranged  that  James,  Peter,  John  and  the  others 
should  labor  among  the  Jews,  while  Paul  and  Barna¬ 
bas  should  go  to  the  Gentiles  (Gal.  2:7-9).  This  in¬ 
tensive  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  Judea  and  Jerusa¬ 
lem  at  the  first,  was  evidently  decreed  because  of  the 
approaching  destruction  of  the  Holy  City  and  the  dis¬ 
persion  of  the  nation. 

Manifestly  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance,  on  the 
one  hand,  that  the  Jews  should  be  shown  that  Chris¬ 
tianity  was  not  a  break  with  Judaism ,  but  was  the 
true  completion  and  consummation  thereof,  in  fulfil¬ 
ment  of  the  law  and  the  prophets;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  Gentiles  should  learn  the  universal  char¬ 
acter  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  which  Christ  had  come 
to  introduce.  Hence  the  difference  between  Paul’s 


16 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


epistles,  in  which  the  latter  truth  is  emphasized,  and 
those  of  James  and  Peter,  though  all  were  presenting 
the  same  doctrine  of  Christ. 

It  is  particularly  noticeable  that  in  James  (as  in 
Peter,  John  and  Jude)  we  find  nothing  whatever  of 
those  Jewish  elements  which  were  fulfilled  and  done 
away  in  Christ — nothing  of  circumcision,  sacrifices, 
priesthood,  sabbaths,  feast  days — all  are  gone;  and 
we  find  ourselves  manifestly  on  1  ‘  Christian  ’ ’  ground, 
the  only  ministers  referred  to  being  “teachers”  (3:1), 
and  “the  elders  of  the  church”  (5:14).  The  use  of 
the  word  “synagogue”  (2:2,  translated  assembly)  is 
not  an  exception,  for  that  word  signifies  merely  a 
meeting-place  in  the  broadest  sense.  It  would  be  ap¬ 
propriate  to  any  hall,  building,  or  gathering-place  of 
the  Lord’s  people  at  the  present  day. 

This  characteristic  of  the  Epistle  of  James  should 
be  carefully  noted  in  view  of  the  novel  doctrine,  re¬ 
ferred  to  in  our  Foreword,  according  to  which  James 
is  declared  to  be  “Jewish”  and  therefore  to  be  treated 
as  belonging  not  to  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel, 
but  to  some  future  era.  The  destructive  character  of 
such  teaching  is  apparent.  It  is,  however,  completely 
overthrown,  not  only  by  the  contents  of  the  Epistle, 
but  by  the  remarkable  absence  therefrom  of  all  “Jew¬ 
ish”  elements. 

The  Continuity  of  the  Doctrine 

Let  us  then  keep  in  mind  that,  in  the  Epistle  of 
James,  we  shall  see  the  unbroken  continuity  of  God’s 
dealings  with  men,  begun  in  the  call  of  Abraham,  and 
continued  without  a  break  through  that  believing 
remnant  of  Israel  (the  Israelites  indeed)  who  re¬ 
pented  upon  hearing  the  Word  of  the  Kingdom,  and 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


17 


who,  through  faith  in  the  One  Whom  John  the  Baptist 
announced,  were  born  again,  and  entered  into  that 
Kingdom. 

The  line  of  the  true  “Israel,”  along  which  God’s 
purpose  was  carried  on,  became  indeed  very  slender 
in  the  days  of  Christ’s  presence  on  earth,  but  it  was 
never  broken.  And  the  little  company  of  those  who 
“received  Him,”  and  who  bridged  the  interval  be¬ 
tween  the  Old  Covenant  and  the  New,  became  the  nu¬ 
cleus  of  a  people,  to  which  the  Lord  in  glory  has  been 
“adding”  ever  since.  And  to  that  one  company  have 
all  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  been  given  in  fulfil¬ 
ment  of  Christ’s  distinct  promise  recorded  in  John 
14 :26  and  16 :13. 

For  while,  in  the  bringing  in  of  this  present  dispen¬ 
sation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  there  was  indeed  a  complete 
break  with  “Israel  after  the  flesh,”  that  is  with  the 
earthly  nation,  and  also  with  the  spurious  Judaism 
of  the  Rabbis  and  Pharisees,  there  was  nevertheless  a 
perfect  union  with,  and  a  carrying  on  and  completion 
of,  the  true  Judaism ;  the  connecting  link  being,  as 
already  stated,  that  remnant  of  the  people  which  re¬ 
pented  under  the  preaching  of  John,  and  were  bap¬ 
tized  of  him  confessing  their  sins. 

Both  sides  of  this  one  truth  are  plainly  taught  by 
Paul  in  chapters  9,  10  and  11  of  Romans,  and  are  il¬ 
lustrated  by  the  parable  of  the  Olive  Tree  (Rom.  11 : 
17-24).  In  that  illustration  the  root  and  stem  repre¬ 
sent  the  true  Israel  from  Abraham  to  Christ  (the 
“root”  and  “fatness”),  while  the  natural  branches 
“broken  off”  represent  the  unbelieving  mass  of  the 
nation  with  its  false  Judaism,  from  which  the  true 
had  to  be  cleared. 

For,  according  to  Galatians  3 :17-19,  the  dispensa- 


18 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


tion  of  the  law  was  a  parenthesis,  which  interrupted 
for  a  certain  period  the  dispensation  of  God’s  deal¬ 
ings  in  grace  (‘‘by  promise”)  with  Abraham,  just 
as  the  Hagar  regime,  which  resulted  in  Ishmael,  in¬ 
terrupted  the  family  relations  of  Abraham  with  the 
true  wife,  Sarah,  who  represents  the  gospel-dispensa¬ 
tion  (Gal.  4:25-28;  Isa.  54:1-13). 

We  see,  then,  that  there  was  not  only  an  unbroken 
continuity  in  the  dealings  of  God  with  that  people 
whom  He  had  called  in  Abraham  (the  believing  rem¬ 
nant  of  Christ ’s  day  being  the  living  connecting 
link),  but  there  was  also  a  continuity  in  the  doctrine 
of  God ;  for  the  spiritual  essence  and  substance  of 
“the  law  and  the  prophets”  is  incorporated  in  “the 
doctrine  of  Christ,”  which  embraces  the  completeness 
of  the  revelation  of  God,  both  as  to  His  Godhead, 
His  redemptive  work,  His  eternal  purposes,  and  His 
will  for  His  people  (i.  e.,  His  “law”). 

The  Israel  of  God 

James,  then,  views  Christ  as  being  Himself  the  true 
“Israel” — the  “true  Vine”;  even  as  He  is  presented 
by  Isaiah  in  chapters  49-53.  In  that  great  prophecy 
He  is,  in  fact,  expressly  called  by  the  name  “Israel”; 
and  it  is  highly  significant  that,  in  the  immediate  con¬ 
text,  He  is  spoken  of  as  “A  light  to  the  Gentiles 
and  as  God’s  salvation  to  ((the  end  of  the  earth.”  The 
passage  begins  with  these  words:  “The  Lord  hath 
called  Me  from  the  womb ;  from  the  bowels  of  My 
mother  hath  He  made  mention  of  My  Name” — (see 
Matt.  1:21).  “And  He  hath  made  My  mouth  like  a 
sharp  sword  .  .  .  And  said  unto  Me,  Thou  art 
My  Servant ,  0  Israel,  in  Whom  I  will  be  glorified” 
(Isa.  49:1-7). 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


19 


Since  therefore  our  Lord  is  Himself  the  true  “Is¬ 
rael,  ’  ’  all  His  members  are  embraced  in  that  wonder¬ 
ful  name  (which  signifies  A  Prince  with  God).  It 
becomes,  through  Christ,  to  Whom  alone  it  belongs  in 
its  fullness,  the  name  of  the  redeemed  people,  which 
God  is  now  taking  out  of  all  nations  for  His  Name, 
as  this  very  James  declared  (Acts  15:14).  In  this 
sense  it  is  used  also  by  Paul,  who  speaks  of  “the  Is¬ 
rael  of  God”  (Gal.  6:16),  thus  marking  a  contrast 
with  those  who  are  Israelites  merely  by  natural  de¬ 
scent,  and  whom  he  carefully  designates  as  “Israel 
after  the  flesh”  (1  Cor.  10:18). 

“We  Are  the  Circumcision” 

The  same  truth  we  are  here  dwelling  upon  (name¬ 
ly,  the  continuity  of  that  ‘ 1  Israel  ’  ’  which  was  real  and 
inward,  while  that  which  was  outward  merely  was 
cast  off  at  the  beginning  of  our  era)  is  brought  clear¬ 
ly  into  view  by  Paul’s  teaching  in  Romans  2:28,  29; 
9:6-8;  Philippians  1:3,  to  the  effect  that,  in  God’s 
sight,  a  man  is  not  a  “Jew”  who  is  one  outwardly, 
“but  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly.”  And  very 
definite  indeed  are  the  words,  “For  we  are  the  cir¬ 
cumcision ,  who  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  re¬ 
joice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the 
flesh”  (Phil.  1:3). 

The  apostle  John  likewise  makes  it  plain  that  the 
words  used  of  old  to  designate  God’s  earthly  people 
belong  in  their  highest  sense  to  His  true  people  of 
this  era.  For  John  speaks  of  “the  brethren”  who 
“for  His  Name’s  sake”  went  forth  “taking  nothing  of 
the  Gentiles”  (3  John  7).  It  is  clear  that,  in  this 
verse,  the  word  “Gentiles”  is  used  as  a  general  des¬ 
ignation  of  those  who  are  not  the  true  people  of  God. 


20 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


In  fact  it  is  not  possible  to  understand  it  otherwise. 
We  doubt  not  that,  when  our  Lord  speaks  (Rev.  2 :9 
and  3:9)  of  those  who  “say  they  are  Jews,  and  are 
not,”  He  is  referring  to  some  who  falsely  claimed  to 
be  the  people  of  God. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Israel  and  Judah  Re-united  During  the  Captivity. 

No  “Ten  Lost  Tribes.”  No  Basis  Exists  for 
Anglo-Israelism.  The  Trial  of  Faith. 

“The  Jews'  Religion” 

From  what  has  been  already  set  forth  it  will  be 
seen  to  be  strictly  in  keeping  with  James'  view  of  the 
gospel  that,  in  addressing  himself  to  the  household  of 
faith,  he  should  use  terms  which  show  that  he  re¬ 
garded  them  as  the  true  “Israel  of  God.”  In  this 
light  it  is  easy  to  see  the  significance  of  his  address, 
“to  the  Twelve  Tribes  Scattered  Abroad.”  Two 
things  appear  therein;  first,  that  James  views  the 
people  of  God  as  being  now  united  into  one  Kingdom, 
in  fulfilment,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  of  Ezekiel’s  proph¬ 
esy,  that  God  would  make  Judah  and  Ephraim  “one 
nation”  (Ezek.  37  :15-22)  ;  and  second  that  the  people 
of  God,  though  constituting  one  “holy  nation”  (1 
Pet.  2:9),  are  at  present  “scattered  abroad.”  This 
view,  namely,  that  the  division  between  Judah  and 
Ephraim  is  now  done  away,  and  that  God’s  people 
are  one  in  His  contemplation,  appears  also  in  Paul’s 
words  to  Herod  Agrippa,  to  whom  he  spoke  of  “our 
twelve  tribes”  (Acts  26:7). 

It  would  seem  that  the  fusion  between  the  house 
of  Israel  and  the  house  of  Judah  took  place  during 
the  Babylonian  captivity,  and  that,  from  thenceforth, 
the  disruption  is  regarded  as  at  an  end.  The  later 
prophecies  of  Ezekiel  are  addressed  to  “the  house  of 
Israel”  (Ch.  40:4;  43:10,  &c.).  Daniel,  though  he 
was  of  the  captivity  of  Judah  (Dan.  1:6),  pleads  for 


22 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


“all  Israel  ”  and  tells  of  “confessing  my  sin,  and  the 
sin  of  my  people  Israel”  (9:7,  11,  20),  which  implies 
that  the  long  sundered  people  were  now  at  length 
united,  in  their  common  captivity,  into  which  Israel 
went  first.  The  decree  of  Cyrus,  under  which  the  cap¬ 
tivity  was  ended,  refers  to  Jehovah  as  the  God  of 
Israel  (Ezr.  1:3). 

Ezra  describes  the  returning  captives  as  “the  men 
of  the  people  of  Israel ”  (2:2) ;  and  he  says  that  “the 
Nethinims  dwelt  in  their  cities  and  all  Israel  in  their 
cities”  (2:70).  At  the  dedication  of  the  rebuilt  tem¬ 
ple,  there  was  a  sin  offering  “for  all  Israel,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  number  of  the  tribes  of  Israel”  (6:17). 
Further  on  we  read  of  “The  people  of  Israel  and  the 
priests”  (9:1)  ;  of  a  great  congregation  “out  of  Is¬ 
rael ”  (10:1) ;  of  “the  Levites  and  all  Israel ”  (10:5). 

Nehemiah  likewise  speaks  of  “the  children  of 
Israel ”  (8:17),  “the  residue  of  Israel ”  (11:20),  and 
of  all  Israel  in  the  days  of  Zerubbabel.”  The  later 
prophets  also  speak  in  similar  terms  (Zech.  12:1), 
recognizing  no  distinction  between  Judah  and 
Ephraim;  and  the  very  last  of  the  Old  Testament 
prophecies  is  entitled,  “The  Burden  of  the  Word  of 
the  Lord  to  Israel  by  Malachi.” 

These  records  serve,  among  other  useful  ends,  to 
dispose  of  all  speculations  concerning  the  supposed 
“lost  ten  tribes.”  For  those  speculations  utterly  dis¬ 
regard  the  fact  that  the  decree  of  Cyrus  ended  the 
captivity,  not  of  the  two  tribes  only,  but  that  of  “all 
Israel.”  They  also  serve  to  dispose  of  that  strange 
modern  delusion  known  as  Anglo-Israelism,  which  has 
found  many  adherents,  notwithstanding  it  is  opposed 
by  all  the  pertinent  facts  of  Scripture,  history,  and 
philology. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


23 


The  apostle  Peter  also  who,  like  James,  views  Chris¬ 
tianity  as  the  continuation  and  consummation  of  true 
Judaism,  rather  than  as  a  break  with  the  false,  ad¬ 
dresses  his  first  epistle  to  “the  strangers  scattered 
throughout  Pontus,  Galatia,”  &c.  (literally  “to  the 
sojourners  of  the  dispersion”  (1  Pet.  1:1). 

These  superscriptions  remind  us  that  the  gospel 
was,  by  the  Lord’s  express  command  (Lu.  24:47 ;  Acts 
1:8;  Rom.  1:16),  preached  first  to  those  who  were 
Jews  according  to  the  flesh,  and  drew  its  first  con¬ 
verts  from  them.  This  in  itself  is  proof  that  God  was 
not  severing  His  relations  with  His  ancient  people, 
and  that  there  is  no  warrant  whatever  for  such  an 
expression  as  “the  Gentile  Church.”  But  it  should 
not  be  necessary  to  say  (nor  would  be,  but  for  false 
teaching  of  recent  origin  which  has  found  acceptance 
in  certain  quarters)  that  all  the  Epistles,  regardless 
of  the  particular  company  to  which  they  were  several¬ 
ly  addressed  in  the  first  instance,  were  dictated  by  the 
One  Spirit,  and  are  for  the  one  Kingdom  of  God, 
wherein  are  no  distinctions  of  nationality  or  the  like 
(Gal.  3:28). 

•  i  i.  k-J  .  ; 

The  Dispersion 

The  location  of  the  particular  churches  addressed 
by  James  is  not  indicated,  only  that  they  were  out¬ 
side  of  Judea.  The  word  diaspora  or  dispersion  (1 
Pet.  1:1)  was  in  common  use  at  that  time  (see  John 
7:35).  It  included  all  those  numerous  communities 
of  Jews  which  existed  in  various  countries,  some  to 
the  East,  called  the  “Eastern  Dispersion,”  but  more 
to  the  West,  along  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea.  Peter’s  first  Epistle  was  addressed  to  converts 
from  among  the  Jews  who  lived  in  five  of  the  prov- 


24 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


inces  of  what  is  now  known  as  Turkey  in  Asia,  or 
Asia  Minor.  Among  these  was  Galatia,  to  whose 
churches  Paul  also  wrote  an  epistle. 

But  the  Epistle  of  James  is  more  general  than  that 
of  Peter,  being  not  limited  to  any  specified  localities. 
From  this  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  conditions  re¬ 
buked,  and  the  errors  corrected,  by  this  Epistle,  were 
prevalent,  to  some  extent,  in  all  those  churches  which 
were  composed  mainly  of  converts  from  among  the 
Jews. 

For,  in  reading  the  Epistles,  we  should  remember 
that  every  man  when  saved  brings  into  the  company 
of  saints  to  which  he  is  added  many  of  the  traits  and 
habits  of  thought  and  life  which  characterized  him 
as  a  natural  man.  Therefore,  the  work  of  conform¬ 
ing  him  to  God’s  pattern  requires  patient  dealing  in 
detail  with  his  old  ways,  habits,  notions,  prejudices, 
religious  traditions,  and  the  like.  As  to  these  matters 
there  would  be,  of  course,  considerable  differences 
between  men  who  had  been  brought  up  as  Jews,  and 
men  who  had  been  brought  up  as  Gentiles ;  though  the 
corrupt  nature  and  tendencies  of  the  heart ,  from 
which  spring  all  things  that  are  contrary  to  God  and 
His  ways,  are  the  same  in  all. 

The  first  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians  reveals 
the  nature  of  the  evils  which  were  mostly  prevalent 
among  those  saints  who  had  been  Gentiles  in  the 
flesh ;  whereas,  the  Epistle  of  James  reveals  the  evils 
that  were  more  conspicuous  among  those  who  were  by 
nature  Israelites. 

“The  Jews ’  Religion ’ ' 

In  Galatians  1:13,  14  Paul  refers  by  name  to  “the 
Jews’  religion”  (in  the  original  it  is  the  single  word 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


25 


Judaism ) ;  and  his  writings  abound  in  references  to 
it  and  denunciations  of  it.  Judaism  had  come  to  be, 
in  course  of  time,  a  system  of  mere  externals ;  that  is 
to  say,  a  system  consisting  wholly  of  rites  and  cere¬ 
monies,  forms  and  observances,  rituals,  feast  days, 
and  various  practices  of  human  origin,  for  which 
strict  rules  had  been  laid  down  to  govern  even  the 
pettiest  details.  Regulations  were  prescribed  as  to 
the  precise  width  of  the  border  of  a  garment,  as  to  the 
exact  number  of  times  the  hands  should  be  washed 
during  the  observance  of  the  Passover  supper,  etc. 
Heated  disputes — involving  long  and  subtle  argu¬ 
mentations — were  carried  on  between  opposing 
schools  over  such  trivial  matters  as  whether,  in  the 
course  of  a  certain  ceremony,  the  hands  should  be 
washed  only  to  the  wrist,  or  the  forearm  also  to  the  el¬ 
bow.  To  £uch  4 ‘foolish  and  unlearned”  disputations 
which  “gender  strifes,”  Paul  makes  occasional  ref¬ 
erence,  as  in  2  Timothy  2 :23. 

The  groundwork  of  Jewish  ritual — the  sacrifices, 
priestly  ordinances,  feast  days,  etc.,  had  been  ap¬ 
pointed  by  God  Himself.  But  they  were  only  “the 
shadows  of  good  things  to  come,”  being  but  symbols 
of  those  great  spiritual  realities  which  were  to  be  ful¬ 
filled  in  Christ.  To  these,  however,  the  Rabbis  had 
added  an  immense  mass  of  traditional  observances; 
and  furthermore,  the  spiritual  content  of  Judaism,  as 
it  existed  of  old,  had  entirely  disappeared.  There¬ 
fore,  in  Christ’s  day,  the  “Jews’  religion”  was  merely 
an  elaborate  system  of  external  forms,  comprising  an 
enormous  mass  of  wearisome  details,  and  demanding 
no  change  whatever  in  the  hearts  of  its  adherents. 

For  the  purpose  of  an  intelligent  reading  of  James 


26 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


it  is  needful  to  know,  in  a  general  way  at  least,  what 
that  system  was  out  of  which  saved  Jews  were  called 
by  the  Gospel.  When  we  have  this  information  we 
can  readily  understand  in  its  light  why  James, 
throughout  his  Epistle,  insists  so  strongly  upon  that 
which  is  inward  and  real.  Those  who,  all  their  lives, 
had  been  taught  to  practice,  and  to  rely  upon,  a  re¬ 
ligion  consisting  solely  of  outward  acts ,  which  an  un¬ 
renewed  man  could  perform  with  even  mechanical 
precision,  needed  to  be  strongly  impressed  as  to  the 
utter  worthlessness  of  all  such  religious  doings.  They 
needed  to  be  continually  reminded  of  the  long-forgot 
ten  fact  that  God  looks  upon  the  heart,  and  that  only 
what  is  inward  and  real,  in  the  matter  of  worship,  is 
accepted  by  Him.  We  will  have  frequent  occasion  to 
notice,  in  the  course  of  our  present  study,  how  often 
and  how  forcibly  James  calls  upon  his  readers  to 
abandon  externalities,  and  to  apply  themselves  to  that 
which  is  of  the  inner  man. 

In  this  connection  we  would  call  to  mind  that  Peter 
also  enforces  the  same  great  lesson  when  he  reminds 
“the  sojourners  of  the  dispersion”  that  they  had  been 
redeemed  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  from  their 
vain  manner  of  life  received  by  tradition  from  their 
fathers  (1  Pet.  1:18).  That  “vain”  or  empty  man¬ 
ner  of  life  received  from  their  fathers  was  Babbinism, 
or  the  traditional  Judaism  of  Christ’s  day,  in  all  its 
barrenness,  and  in  all  its  corruption  of  the  truth  of 
God.  It  was  that  which  Christ  so  sternly  denounced 
as  a  system  which  made  the  word  of  God  of  none 
effect. 

But  we  are  not  to  suppose,  because  first-century 
Judaism  no  longer  exists  in  a  practical  sense,  that 
therefore  the  lessons  of  James  are  now  out  of  date. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


27 


Such  is  far  from  being  the  case;  for  the  very  same 
traits  of  human  nature  have  produced,  even  out  of 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  a  system  or  systems  of  religion 
which  are,  in  all  essential  characteristics,  the  same  as 
that  which,  in  the  past  era,  was  produced  out  of  the 
law  and  the  prophets.  Hence  the  lessons  of  J ames  are¬ 
as  much  needed  today  as  in  apostolic  times;  and  in¬ 
deed  as  much  more  as  the  corrupted  “  Christian  reli¬ 
gion’  ’  of  our  day  exceeds  in  magnitude  the  corrupted 
4 ‘Jews’  religion”  of  theirs.  In  both  cases  the  thing 
to  be  dealt  with  is  a  religious  system  of  mere  external 
acts,  wherein  the  unrenewed  man  may  be  quite  pro¬ 
ficient,  and  in  which  he  can  take  part  as  well  as — in¬ 
deed  far  better  than — the  man  who  is  of  the  faith  of 
Christ. 

Nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  the  need  of  these  prac¬ 
tical  lessons  is  confined  to  those  who  are  connected 
with  some  one  or  other  of  the  great  religious  systems 
of  Christendom.  For  a  man  may  be  completely  sep¬ 
arated  from  all  the  sects  and  systems  of  our  times, 
and  may  acknowledge  fellowship  only  with  such  as 
abhor  every  sort  of  religious  formality  and  cere¬ 
monial,  and  yet  be  himself  a  mere  externalist,  resting 
content  with  the  correctness  of  his  position,  and  with 
his  supposedly  strict  conformity  to  the  apostolic  pat¬ 
terns  of  church  order  and  practice.  In  fact  it  is  pre¬ 
cisely  where  the  outward  observances  are  of  the 
simplest  character  that  the  lack  of  reality  is  most  to 
be  feared,  because  least  suspected. 

Therefore  we  would  earnestly  commend  the  lessons 
of  James  to  all  who  wish  not  to  be  resting  upon  a 
mere  shell  of  religion,  whether  highly  ornate  or  se¬ 
verely  plain.  For  there  is  the  gravest  danger  at  this 
present  time  that  many,  who  think  they  are  com- 


28 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


pletely  separated  from  all  religious  formalism,  and 
who  pride  themselves  that  they  listen  only  to  the 
true  Gospel  and  to  the  soundest  of  sound  doctrine,  are 
in  reality  deceiving  their  own  selves,  and  are  actual¬ 
ly  in  the  same  class  with  those  who  seek  only  to  make 
clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter. 


CHAPTER  III 

Faith  and  Patience.  True  Wisdom.  Christian 

Equality 

The  style  of  James’  teaching  strongly  resembles 
that  of  the  Lord  Himself  in  His  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  And  James  follows  the  Lord’s  teaching 
closely,  not  in  style  only,  but  in  its  substance  also ;  for 
he  takes  up,  amplifies,  and  applies  specifically,  such 
of  the  Lord’s  commandments  given  in  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  as  are  best  suited  to  the  condition  and 
needs  of  those  whom  he  addresses. 

He  begins  abruptly  with  a  word  of  encouragement 
concerning  temptations  (or  trials).  From  this  it  may 
be  gathered  that  the  saints  here  addressed  were  in 
conditions  of  stress  and  difficulty.  Very  likely  they 
were  undergoing  at  the  hands  of  their  unbelieving 
countrymen  what  the  Lord  foretold  when  He  said, 
“Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you  and  per¬ 
secute  you,  and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you 
falsely  for  My  sake”  (Mat.  5:11).  For  James  takes 
up  the  same  word,  “Blessed,”  saying,  “Behold  we 
count  them  happy  (blessed)  which  endure”  (5:11). 
Through  the  comfort  afforded  by  the  words  of  Christ 
those  of  His  people  who  suffer  affliction  for  His  sake 
are  not  to  be  cast  down  on  that  account,  but  on  the 
contrary  they  are  to  “rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad.” 
In  perfect  agreement  with  this  exhortation  of  Christ, 
James  begins  his  message  with  the  words,  “My  breth¬ 
ren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into  diverse  tempta¬ 
tions  (or  trials)  ”  (Jam.  1:2;  see  also  1  Pet.  4:12-14). 

This  is  just  the  reverse  of  the  ordinary  and  natural 
view  of  afflictions,  particularly  to  Jews  who  had  been 
always  accustomed  to  regard  earthly  prosperity  and 
blessings  as  tokens  of  the  favor  of  God,  and  adversi- 


30 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


ties  as  tokens  of  His  displeasure.  Hence  the  very  first 
words  of  James  make  it  plain  that  we  are  no  longer 
upon  Jewish  ground,  but  are  in  a  dispensation  where 
all  the  providential  dealings  of  God  have  a  spiritual 
bearing.  This  view  of  suffering  characterizes  the  en¬ 
tire  Epistle  of  James,  and  the  first  of  Peter  also. 

The  reason  why  the  saints  of  God  were  to  take 
this  extraordinary  view  of  trials — a  view  which  to  the 
natural  understanding  is  utter  ‘‘foolishness” — is  that 
the  trial  of  their  faith  works  out  patience.  Thus 
James  devotes  his  very  first  instruction  to  that  which 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ — faith. 
The  prominence  given  to  this  word  “faith”  in  the 
Epistle  of  James,  and  the  space  occupied  in  setting 
forth  what  real  faith  is  (in  contradistinction  to  what 
often  goes  by  that  name)  is  a  further  and  a  strong 
proof  that  the  portion  of  Scripture  we  are  now  study¬ 
ing  deals  not  with  Old  Testament  or  “Jewish”  things 
(in  the  national  and  material  sense)  but  with  that 
which  is,  in  the  very  highest  degree,  characteristic  of 
Christianity. 

That  great  word  faith  (and  the  idea  of  faith  ex¬ 
pressed  by  other  words)  is  to  be  found  in  every 
Book  of  the  New  Testament,  and  practically  upon 
every  page  thereof.  This  brings  to  view  one  of  the 
most  marked  differences  between  the  Old  Testament 
and  the  New.  For  in  the  former  the  word  faith  (ig¬ 
noring  the  negative  statement  in  Deuteronomy  32 : 
20)  is  found  but  once,  and  that  is  in  the  passage 
which  serves  as  a  basis  of  New  Testament  doctrine — 
“The  just  shall  live  by  faith”  (Hab.  2:4).* 

*In  the  important  passage,  in  Genesis  15:6  where  it  is 
recorded  that  Abraham  “ believed  in  the  Lord,  and  He 
counted  it  to  him  for  righteousness,”  the  literal  reading  is 
“And  he  amened  the  Lord.”  This  is  the  first  occurrence 
of  the  word  amen. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


31 


This  difference  should  prompt  us  to  meditate  upon 
and  to  rejoice  in  the  wondrous  grace  of  God  displayed 
by  Him  through  the  New  Covenant,  whereby  the 
tenderest  relation  with  Himself  is  granted  to  all  who 
have  “the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord 
of  Glory”  (Jam.  2:1).  How  vast  the  difference  be¬ 
tween  this  and  the  temporary  relationship  offered  to 
one  nation  only  under  the  Old  Covenant,  and  upon 
the  condition  of  strict  obedience  (Ex.  19:5,  6)  ! 

Faith  is  such  a  vital  matter  to  the  children  of  God 
that  it  must  needs  be  put  to  the  test,  first  in  order  to 
prove  that  it  is  genuine,  and  second  to  purge  and 
strengthen  it.  Hence  believers  are  brought  into  con¬ 
ditions — “manifold  temptations” — which  test  or 
prove  them ;  and  if  the  faith  they  profess  be  real,  they 
will  be  able  to  stand  against,  and  even  to  move  in  a 
course  directly  contrary  to,  the  pressure  of  things 
around  them ;  and  contrary  also  to  all  the  inclinations 
of  their  natural  hearts. 

That  the  trial  of  faith  for  the  purposes  stated  is  of 
much  importance  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  appears 
from  the  fact  that  Peter  also  lays  great  stress  upon  it 
at  the  beginning  of  his  first  Epistle.  In  1  Peter  1 :6 
we  have  the  identical  expression,  “manifold  tempta¬ 
tions,  ’  ’  in  the  well  known  passage  which  declares  that 
the  trial  of  our  faith  is  more  precious  than  that  of 
gold  which  perishes. 

The  relation  of  faith  to  patience  is  also  declared 
in  Hebrews  6 :12,  13,  and  again  in  that  great  passage 
beginning,  “For  ye  have  need  of  patience,' *  and  ex¬ 
tending  through  chapter  11.  It  is  only  in  proportion 
as  we  realize  our  “need  of  patience”  that  we  can 
count  it  all  joy  when  we  fall  into  manifold  trials, 
whereby  patience  is  worked  out. 


32 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


But  the  closest  resemblance,  both  in  form  and  sub¬ 
stance,  to  the  teaching  of  James  is  to  be  found  in  the 
last  place  where,  in  view  of  current  ideas,  we  should 
probably  expect  to  find  it,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  writ¬ 
ings  of  Paul,  who  also  (in  Romans  5:1-3)  traces  the 
connection  between  faith,  when  subjected  to  trial,  and 
patience.  We  quote  the  familiar  words,  “being  jus¬ 
tified  by  faith  ....  we  glory  in  tribulations  also, 
knowing  that  tribulation  worketh  patience.”  Here, 
as  also  in  James,  we  have  the  words  faith ,  tribulation, 
worketh  out,  patience,  and  rejoicing  when  undergo¬ 
ing  trials.  The  correspondence  is  remarkable;  and  it 
is  particularly  pertinent  to  call  attention  to  it  in 
these  days  when  there  is  a  disposition  in  certain  quar¬ 
ters  to  separate  the  teaching  of  James  from  that  of 
Paul  and,  in  fact,  to  banish  the  former  from  this 
Christian  dispensation  entirely. 

To  James  the  object  in  view,  and  which  is  to  be 
attained  through  trials,  is  so  important  that  he  ex¬ 
horts  those  who  are  being  thus  tested  to  let  patience 
*  have  her  perfect  or  complete  work,  that  they  may  be 
(in  this  sense)  perfect  and  entire,  lacking  nothing. 
This  teaching  is  much  needed,  seeing  that  our  natural 
way  is  to  make  every  effort  to  escape  out  of  the  com¬ 
mon  trials  of  life,  often  not  even  giving  a  thought  to 
God’s  purpose  in  permitting  them.  James  returns  to 
this  lesson  in  the  last  chapter,  where  he  refers  us  to 
the  trials  of  Job,  and  to  the  fact  that  the  Lord  had  a 
purpose  or  “end”  (“the  end  of  the  Lord”)  in  view, 
which  was  to  lead  Job  into  a  true  knowledge  of  God, 
and  to  bless  him  in  the  end  with  double  what  he  had 
at  the  beginning. 

Likewise  in  verse  12  of  chapter  1  the  “blessed” 
outcome  is  declared  in  the  words,  ‘  ‘  Blessed  is  the  man 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


33 


that  endureth  temptation;  for  when  he  is  tried  he 
shall  receive  the  crown  of  life.** 

True  Wisdom 

But,  as  already  stated,  this  view  of  trials  and  af¬ 
flictions  is  directly  contrary  to  nature.  Indeed,  to 
the  wisdom  of  the  world  it  is  utter  foolishness.  Hence, 
in  order  to  act  according  to  it,  another  sort  of  wisdom 
is  needed.  To  that  great  need  the  writer  of  the  Epis¬ 
tle  now  addresses  himself,  saying:  “If  any  of  you 
lack  wisdom ,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all 
men  liberally  (or  with  simplicity),  and  upbraideth 
not;  and  it  shall  be  given  him.** 

The  thought  of  the  natural  man  is  that  wisdom  is 
to  be  had  through  long  and  patient  study  of  the  writ¬ 
ings  of  the  ancients,  through  courses  in  philosophy, 
through  schools  and  universities.  Particularly 
amongst  the  J ews  of  those  days  was  it  a  settled  convic¬ 
tion  that  the  Rabbis  were  the  sources  of  true  wisdom, 
which  was  to  be  had  only  through  their  schools.  They 
were  held  in  the  highest  reverence,  their  persons  be¬ 
ing  regarded  as  almost  sacred;  and  the  most  exag¬ 
gerated  and  absurd  deference  was  paid  to  their  utter¬ 
ances.  Hence  this  word  of  James,  which  bade  an}' 
who  desired  wisdom  to  seek  it,  not  of  the  Rabbis,  but 
directly  of  God,  was  radically  opposed  to  the  ideas 
which  (notwithstanding  the  bright  example  of  Solo¬ 
mon,  1  Kings  3:5-12)  prevailed  throughout  Jewry. 
This  subject  of  heavenly  wisdom  is  taken  up  again  in 
the  beautiful  passage  at  the  end  of  chapter  3. 

God  gives,  and  gives  “ liberally.’ ’  But  the  word 
means  more  than  that,  its  primary  significance  be¬ 
ing  “with  simplicity,”  that  is,  purely  and  simply  as 


34 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


a  gift ,  without  any  exactions  or  stipulations,  or  de¬ 
manding  any  return. 

There  is,  however,  an  important  qualification,  to 
which  the  most  careful  attention  should  be  paid. 

‘  ‘  But  let  him  ask  in  faith ,  nothing  wavering.  For  he 
that  wavereth  (or  doubteth)  is  like  a  wave  of  the  sea, 
driven  with  the  wind  and  tossed.’ ’ 

So  everything  rests  upon  faith.  Here  again  we 
meet  one  of  the  most  important  lessons  taught  by 
Christ — praying  in  faith.  As  He  said  in  Mark  11 :24, 
“What  things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe 
that  ye  receive  them ,  and  ye  shall  have  them.”  James 
would  impress  upon  us  the  great  difference  between 
the  mere  external  saying  of  prayers ,  or  going  through 
forms  of  devotion  (in  which  in  our  day  millions  of 
unconverted  churchgoers  engage)  and  the  real  in¬ 
ward  asking ,  in  simplicity  and  confidence,  of  One 
Who  is  known  as  “the  Giver  of  every  good  and  per¬ 
fect  gift.”  The  same  lesson  is  taught  by  the  Lord 
in  Matthew  6.  See  also  1  John  3:22,  and  5:14,  15. 

James  tells  us  that  the  man  who  wavereth  (or 
doubteth)  is  like  a  wave  of  the  sea,  driven  by  the 
wind.  A  wave  of  the  sea  is  active,  and  even  seems  to 
be  advancing ;  but  in  reality  it  gets  nowhere.  Such  a 
man  is  not  to  think  that  he  shall  receive  anything  of 
the  Lord. 

Should  we  not  then  ask  ourselves  how  much  of  our 
praying  is  no  more  than  the  tossings  of  a  wave  of  the 
sea,  and  just  as  ineffective  to  accomplish  anything 
useful  ?  And  indeed  is  it  not  true  that  when  we  have 
prayed  (as  we  suppose)  it  is  often  the  case  that  we 
do  not  really  expect  to  “  receive  anything  from  the 
Lord,  ’  ’  and  would  be  greatly  astonished  indeed  if  our 
prayers  were  answered?  Is  it  not  true  of  us,  as  James 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


35 


says  in  chapter  4:2,  “Ye  have  not,  because  ye  ask 
not”? 

The  contrast  to  the  donble-minded  (literally, 
double-souled)  man,  who,  like  a  wave  of  the  sea,  is 
unstable  in  all  his  ways,  is  found  again  in  chapter  5, 
where  we  read  (ver.  16)  that  “the  effectual  fervent 
prayer  of  the  righteous  man  availeth  much.” 

The  expression  “man  of  double-soul”  is  very  sig¬ 
nificant.  It  puts  before  us  one  who  is  trying  to  find 
satisfaction  for  his  soul,  now  with  earthly  things, 
and  now  with  heavenly.  It  occurs  again  in  the  words 
“purify  your  hearts,  ye  double-minded” — literally, 
double-souled  (4:8).  The  love  of  and  desire  for 
earthly  things  must  be  purged  out,  and  there  must  be 
single-eyed  devotion  to  the  Lord,  in  order  that  our 
prayers  may  be  effective. 

Christian  Equality 

Verses  9-11  of  the  first  chapter  of  James  bring  into 
view  the  lesson  of  equality  among  the  children  of  God. 
which  lesson  is  very  prominent  in  this  Epistle.  It 
is  also  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  lessons  taught 
by  the  Lord  Himself  in  His  personal  ministry.  As  is 
the  case  with  the  entire  doctrine  of  Christ,  this  lesson 
goes  directly  counter  to  the  desires  of  the  natural 
heart.  It  is  the  natural  aspiration  of  every  man  to  be 
great  among  his  fellows,  and  to  surpass  all  others,  in 
wealth,  power,  place,  or  distinction.  To  compass  that 
object  he  will  bend  all  his  energies,  taking  advantage 
of  every  opportunity  whereby  to  gain  a  point  over  his 
competitors.  It  is  supposed  that,  if  this  stimulus  to 
exertion  were  withdrawn,  there  would  be  an  end  to 
human  enterprise  and  human  progress.  Civilization, 
which  is  based  on  competition,  would  collapse.  Yet 


36 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


the  disciple  of  Christ  must  die  to  all  such  ambitions; 
and  if  he  would  be  truly  “great”  among  his  fellow 
saints,  he  must  be  the  least  of  all  and  the  servant  of 
all  (Mat.  20:  25-28;  Mark  9:35,  etc.). 

James,  therefore,  calls  upon  the  brother  of  low  de¬ 
gree  to  rejoice  in  that  he  is  exalted;  for  in  Christ  he 
is  raised  up  to  a  place  of  perfect  equality  with  all 
those  who,  by  God’s  rich  mercy,  have  been  brought 
into  His  Kingdom.  But  the  rich  is  to  rejoice  in  that 
he  is  made  low.  This  requires  much  grace  and  sub¬ 
missiveness;  for  it  really  demands  of  the  rich  man 
that  he  mortify  that  very  bent  of  his  mind,  and  that 
natural  aptitude,  whereby  he  was  enabled  to  amass 
wealth.  We  know  from  the  Lord’s  own  words  (and 
our  own  observations  confirm  it)  that  not  many  who 
are  rich  in  this  world  are  willing  to  hearken  to  the 
gospel.  But  some  rich  men  are  saved  (for  nothing  is 
impossible  with  God) ;  and  to  such  is  given  a  special 
admonition .  They  are  reminded  that,  whatever  of 
advantage,  superiority,  or  distinction  their  riches 
may  confer  upon  them,  is  wholly  of  the  flesh.  The 
rich  man,  as  such,  is  like  the  flower  of  the  grass,  a 
thing  of  but  a  day,  which  in  the  briefest  time  must 
wither  and  perish. 

In  these  simple  words,  “because  as  the  flower  of 
the  grass  he  shall  pass  away,”  we  have  one  of  the 
great  truths  pertaining  to  this  dispensation — namely, 
the  complete  setting  aside  of  the  natural  man,  “the 
flesh,”  in  which  God  finds  no  good  thing.  This  truth 
lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  Christianity;  for  it  is 
that  which  creates  the  necessity  for  the  new  birth 
(mentioned  by  James  in  verse  18). 

So  firmly  is  this  truth  of  the  perishing  nature  of 
man  in  the  flesh  linked  with  the  gospel,  and  with  the 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


37 


work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  we  find  it  presented 
prominently  in  that  part  of  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah 
which  foretells  the  message  of  John  the  Baptist  (Isa. 
40:1-8).  “The  voice  said,  Cry.  And  he  said,  What 
shall  I  cry?  All  flesh  is  grass ,  and  all  the  goodliness 
thereof  as  the  flower  of  the  field  ....  The  grass 
withereth,  the  flower  fadeth;  but  the  Word  of  our 
God  shall  stand  forever.  ” 

God’s  long  trial  of  humanity  in  its  two  great  divi¬ 
sions,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  brought  clearly  to  light  the 
true  condition  of  all  men,  as  being  without  exception 
ready  to  perish,  and  hopelessly  lost  apart  from  a  new- 
creation  work  by  God  Himself. 

The  Lord  repeated  this  same  lesson  in  instructing 
Nicodemus  concerning  the  new  birth  (John  3:6). 
And  Peter  also  repeats  it  at  length  (1  Pet.  1:23-25). 
Here  then  is  another  proof  that  the  Epistle  of  James 
belongs  to  this  present  dispensation. 

When  John  the  Baptist  appeared,  fulfilling  the 
prophecy  we  have  quoted,  and  uttering  the  “Cry” 
foretold  by  Isaiah,  there  were  the  greatest  inequalities 
among  the  Jews.  Some  had  amassed  enormous 
wealth ;  while  others,  the  greater  number,  were 
wretchedly  poor;  and  as  usual  in  such  cases,  the  rich 
assumed  a  lordly  superiority  over  their  poorer  breth¬ 
ren.  The  extent  to  which  this  evil  had  developed — 
contrary  to  the  teaching  of  the  law — is  indicated  in 
chapter  5  of  James’  Epistle,  verses  1-6,  from  which, 
and  from  other  Scriptures,  such  as  the  incident  of 
the  rich  man  and  Lazarus  in  Luke  16 :19-31,  we  may 
learn  how  grievous  a  thing  in  God’s  eyes  are  such  dis¬ 
parities  between  men  who  are  equally  the  debtors,  for 
all  they  have,  to  His  mercy  alone.  In  fact,  the  evil 
referred  to  was  the  most  prominent  of  all  the  great 


38 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


evils  of  Judaism;  for  John’s  “cry”  was  directed 
mainly  against  it.  He  was  the  prophet  of  a  new  or¬ 
der  of  things  which  was  then  “at  hand,”  in  which 
every  valley  (or  depression)  was  to  be  raised  up,  and 
every  mountain  and  hill  brought  low.  Such  is  the 
present  Kingdom  of  God,  wherein  all  who  enter  by 
J esus  Christ,  the  only  ‘  ‘  Door,  ’  ’  are  on  a  perfect  equal¬ 
ity  in  the  sight  of  God. 

To  this  subject  James  returns  in  chapter  2;  and  in 
chapter  5  he  gives  a  solemn  warning  to  all  who  set 
their  heart  upon  riches,  and  who  spend  their  time 
in  accumulating  the  wealth  of  this  world.  We  have 
here  an  amplification  of  our  Lord ’s  words :  ‘  ‘  But  woe 
unto  you  that  are  rich !  For  ye  have  received  your 
consolation”  (Luke  6:24). 


CHAPTER  IV 


Temptations  of  Two  Sorts.  The  Father  of 

Lights.  The  New  Birth,  and  the  Implanted 
Word.  Hearers  and  Doers 

Temptations  are  of  two  distinct  kinds;  and  it  is 
needful  that  we  distinguish  between  them.  For,  if 
we  are  to  count  it  all  joy  when  we  fall  into  divers 
temptations  (1:2),  and  if  the  man  who  endures 
temptation  is  ‘‘blessed”  (1:12),  why  did  our  Lord 
teach  us  to  pray:  “Lead  us  not  into  temptation”? 
and  why  did  He  say  to  His  disciples,  “Watch  and 
pray  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation”? 

The  explanation  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  word 
“temptations,”  in  its  primary  meaning,  is  broad 
enough  to  describe  all  the  trials,  hardships,  losses, 
persecutions,  reproaches,  and  the  like,  which  may 
befall  a  follower  of  Jesus  Christ  in  his  path  of 
separation  and  obedience.  For  the  word  means  pri¬ 
marily  to  test,  or  try,  or  prove,  as  by  the  assaying  of 
metal. 

But,  in  a  secondary  sense,  it  means  also  a  solicita¬ 
tion  to  do  evil.  Such  a  temptation  would  act  inward¬ 
ly  upon  the  heart ;  whereas  those  first  referred  to  act 
outwardly.  Hence  we  must  distinguish  between  in¬ 
ward  temptations,  and  those  which  press  upon  us  out¬ 
wardly.  The  Lord  Himself  had  temptations  of  the 
latter  sort,  as  He  said  to  His  disciples:  “Ye  are  they 
which  have  continued  with  Me  in  My  temptations” 
(Lu.  22:28).  But  nothing  could  tempt  Him  inwardly; 
for  when  He  was  led  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness 
to  be  tempted  of  the  Devil,  the  inducements  offered 


40 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


Him  to  depart  from  the  will  of  His  Father  had  no 
effect  on  Him ;  for  He  could  not  be  tempted  with 
evil.  ! 

It  is  of  this  sort  of  temptation  that  James  now 
speaks,  as  is  evident  from  the  words,  “Let  no  man 
say  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God;  for 
God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth 
He  any  man.”  The  words  “tempted  with  evil”  show 
what  sort  of  temptations  are  here  intended.  God 
does  indeed  often  tempt  His  people  with  afflictions 
and  the  like,  but  never  with  evil. 

What  then  is  the  true  source  of  temptation  which 
leads  men  into  the  commission  of  sin?  It  is  lust,  or 
desire,  in  the  heart.  This  is  one  of  the  Lord’s  deepest 
lessons,  as  He  showed  when,  in  His  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  He  presented  the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Com¬ 
mandments  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  the  thought  or 
desire  of  the  heart  to  be  the  spring  or  seed  of  the 
crime  (Matt.  5:21,  22,  28).  He  thus  located  the 
guilt  within,  and  made  all  men  equally  guilty. 

The  apostle  Paul  also  declares  that  the  command¬ 
ment  which  forbids  to  lust,  or  covet,  or  desire  (the 
Tenth  Commandment)  was  what  showed  the  pres¬ 
ence  of  sin  in  his  own  heart,  and  without  which  he 
should  not  have  “known  sin”  (Rom.  7:7,  8),  that  is 
to  say,  he  would  not  have  known  the  true  inward  na¬ 
ture  of  sin. 

In  the  verses  now  before  us  (James  1:13-15),  the 
development  of  sin  is  traced  in  simple  but  forceful 
words,  from  the  inward  desire  to  the  outward  act 
and  with  death  as  the  final  consequence  (Comp.  Rom. 
6:23,  “the  wages  of  sin  is  death and  1  Cor.  15:56, 
“the  sting  of  death  is  sin”). 

In  these  verses  we  have  another  instance  of  the  gen- 


JAMBS:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


41 


eral  purpose  of  James  to  draw  attention  from  that 
which  is  merely  outward  to  that  which  is  inward. 
He  exposes  the  fountain  of  all  temptation  and 
sin,  locating  it  in  the  breast  of  every  man.  This 
foundation  truth  concerning  the  nature  of  man  is 
calculated  to  deliver  from  the  deception  and  pride 
of  Phariseeism,  which  looked  only  to  the  cleans¬ 
ing  of  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter,  and  made 
men  to  be  like  highly  ornate  sepulchres,  outwardly 
pleasing  to  the  eye,  but  inwardly  full  of  corruption. 
God’s  truth  in  the  gospel  lets  the  light  into  the  dark¬ 
ness  of  the  human  heart,  exposing  its  true  condition. 
And  the  saved  sinner  has,  in  that  light,  a  continual 
reminder  of  the  need  of  watchfulness  and  prayer  on 
his  own  part.  He  is  reminded  also  of  his  need  of  the 
intercessory  work  of  Christ  as  the  High  Priest  of  the 
heavenly  sanctuary,  and  of  that  cleansing  through 
the  blood  of  Christ  which  is  provided  for  those  who 
confess  their  sins  (1  John  1:9). 

James  warns  his  “beloved  brethren”  not  to  err 
in  regard  to  this  vital  matter,  as  many  do  err  who 
delude  themselves  with  a  fictitious  “holiness,”  and 
who,  by  making  nothing  of  the  inward  desire — sin 
in  the  heart — fall  into  the  grave  error  of  the  Phari¬ 
sees.  For  there  are  many  in  our  day  who  hide  their 
own  sins  from  themselves  by  calling  them  by  other 
names  as  “failures,”  “errors,”  “mistakes,”  “short¬ 
comings,”  &c.  But  sin  is  sin ,  by  whatever  name  it 
may  be  cloaked,  and  however  carefully  it  may  be  hid¬ 
den  out  of  the  sight  of  men.  “The  thought  of  fool¬ 
ishness  is  sin”  (Prov.  24:9)  ;  and  so  the  same  apostle 
who,  more  forcibly  than  any  other,  denounces  sin  and 
demands  holiness  on  the  part  of  God’s  people,  was 
inspired  to  write:  “If  we  (apostles  of  Christ)  say 


42 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the 
truth  is  not  in  us.  (But)  if  we  confess  our  sins” — 
for  even  an  apostle  had  sins  to  confess — ‘  *  He  is  faith¬ 
ful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness”  (1  John  1:8,  9).  Thus, 
by  the  old  path  of  confession  to  God,  and  through  the 
exhaustless  fountain  which  He  has  opened  to  the 
house  of  David  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem 
for  sin  and  for  uncleanness,  we  are  to  purify  our¬ 
selves  from  all  defilement  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  and 
“be  holy”  in  a  practical  sense.  It  is  in  this  way  that 
we  are  to  “purify  ourselves,  even  as  He  is  pure”  (1 
J ohn  3:3). 

The  Father  of  Lights 

Having  shown  that  God  is  not  and  cannot  be  the 
Author  of  temptation  to  anyone  to  do  evil,  James 
now  declares  Him  to  be  the  Source  and  Fountain  of 
all  good,  saying,  “Every  good  gift,  and  every  perfect 
gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father 
of  lights,  with  Whom  is  no  variableness,  neither 
shadow  of  turning”  (v.  17). 

Nothing  that  is  “good”  can  spring  up  from,  or  be 
found  in,  the  heart  of  man.  “For  out  of  the  heart 
proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,”  and  all 
the  manifold  wickednesses  which  human  beings  com¬ 
mit  (Mat.  14:19).  No  one  can  be  ignorant  as  to  the 
corrupt  source  whence  all  these  evils  proceed.  But 
whatever  of  “good”  we  have  or  enjoy  is  “from 
above.”  A  clear  realization  of  this  fact,  here  so  sim¬ 
ply  yet  impressively  stated,  would  not  only  keep  us 
in  a  state  of  becoming  humility,  but  would  also  fill 
us  continually  with  praise,  even  when  we  are  endur¬ 
ing  “manifold  temptations.” 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


43 


The  first  of  God ’s  gifts,  both  in  the  realm  of  nature 
and  in  that  of  spirit,  is  light .  Hence  He  is  beautiful¬ 
ly  set  forth  here  as  ‘  ‘  the  Father  of  lights,  with  Whom 
is  no  variableness  nor  shadow  of  turning” — that  is 
to  say,  without  fickleness,  and  without  any  change  in 
His  brightness.  As  John  says,  “God  is  light,  and  in 
Him  is  no  darkness  at  all”  (1  John  1:5). 

That  God  is  the  Source  of  both  sorts  of  light,  nat¬ 
ural  and  spiritual,  is  taught  also  by  Paul,  who  says: 
‘  ‘  God  Who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  dark¬ 
ness  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ”  (2  Cor.  4:6).  The  first  “light”  in  this 
verse  is  that  of  nature,  the  second  is  spiritual  light, 
for  “that  is  not  first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that 
which  is  natural,  and  afterwards  that  which  is  spir¬ 
itual”  (1  Cor.  15:46). 

The  Old  Testament  begins  with  the  entrance  of  the 
light  of  nature  by  the  Word  of  God,  “Let  there  be 
light”;  and  the  New  Testament  begins  with  the  com¬ 
ing  of  that  same  “Word,”  now  “made  flesh,”  to  be 
the  true  Light ,  which  lighteth  every  man,  coming  in¬ 
to  the  world  (John  1:9). 

The  Children  of  Light 

It  is  of  Him,  “the  Father  of  lights”  that  we  (to 
whom  this  Epistle  is  addressed)  are  born.  For  the 
next  words  are :  “  Of  His  own  will  begat  He  us  with 
the  word  of  truth”  (v.  18).  Thus  James,  in  present¬ 
ing  the  great  truth  of  the  new  birth,  combines  what 
is  set  forth  by  Peter  with  what  is  set  forth  by  John. 
The  former  emphasizes  that  the  children  of  God  have 
been  born  “by  the  word  of  God  which  liveth  and 
abideth  forever,”  and  this,  he  further  explains,  is 


44  JAMBS:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 

4 4 the  word  which  by  the  gospel  is  preached  unto  you” 
(1  Pet.  1:23,  25)  ;  whereas  John  emphasizes  that  they 
are  “born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God ”  (John  1:13). 

Thus  James  connects  together  life  and  light,  as 
coming  from  God  the  Father  to  His  own  begotten 
children.  This  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  truths  and 
the  deepest  of  mysteries.  With  it  we  should  connect 
all  the  admonitions  given  to  “the  children  of  light” 
(see  Matt.  5  :14-16 ;  John  12  :36 ;  Eph.  5  :8-ll ;  1  Thess. 
5:5-8;  1  Pet.  2:9;  1  John  1:5-7,  etc.). 

James  further  makes  known  that  we,  who  have 
been  thus  born  of  God,  are  to  be  “a  kind  of  first- 
fruits  of  His  creatures.”  These  words  bring  to  view 
the  new  creation  in  Christ  Jesus  risen  from  the  dead. 
He  Himself  is  the  absolute  “Firstfruits”  (1  Cor.  15: 
23),  as  symbolized  by  the  fact  that  His  resurrection 
took  place  on  the  feast  of  the  Firstfruits  (Lev.  23 : 
10-12),  when  the  priest,  “on  the  morrow  after  the 
sabbath,”  was  to  wave  before  the  Lord  the  first  sheaf 
of  ripened  grain  brought  forth  from  the  ground. 
This  was  not  only  an  offering  to  the  Lord,  but  was 
also  a  pledge  of  the  full  harvest  that  was  to  follow. 
So  they  who,  by  grace,  share  the  life  of  the  risen 
Christ,  are  (as  being  associated  with  Him)  “a  kind 
of  firstfruits.”  Other  orders  of  creatures  will  share 
the  blessedness  of  the  new  creation,  but  not  in  this 
nearness  of  relationship  with  Christ. 

Paul  also,  in  1  Corinthians  15  :23,  shows  the  rela¬ 
tion  between  “Christ  the  Firstfruits”  and  “they 
that  are  Christ’s  at  His  coming.”  Evidently  this  is 
the  same  truth  that  is  before  us  in  the  words  of 
James. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


45 


Swift  to  Hear:  Slow  to  Speak 

Having  shown  that  God  the  Father  is  the  Giver  of 
every  good  and  perfect  gift,  and  having  referred  to 
the  new  birth  as  the  greatest  of  those  gifts  which 
come  “from  above,”  James  now,  in  verses  19-25, 
bases  thereon  certain  exhortations  which  are  of  the 
utmost  importance.  These  are  introduced  by  the 
words  “ Wherefore ,  my  beloved  brethren,”  which 
show  that  they  are  directly  connected  with  what  goes 
before. 

According  to  the  method  of  God’s  dealings  in 
grace ,  the  relationship  into  which  He  brings  His  peo¬ 
ple  is  bestowed  as  a  free-gift  and  the  duties  spring 
out  of  the  relationship.  This  is  in  direct  contrast 
with  His  dealings  under  law,  wherein  the  duties  were 
imposed  as  a  legal  obligation,  and  the  relationship 
was  promised  as  a  reward  of  faithfulness  and  obe¬ 
dience  (Ex.  19:  5,  6).  Here  again  we  have  clear 
proof  that  James  belongs  to  the  era  of  grace. 

Therefore,  because  we  have  been  begotten  of  God 
with  the  word  of  truth,  we  are  to  be  “swift  to  hear.” 
Under  the  law  it  was  “If  ye  will  hear  My  voice  in¬ 
deed.”  God’s  way  of  speaking  to  us  calls  for  atten¬ 
tion  and  submissiveness  to  the  commandments  given 
for  our  obedience,  so  that  in  keeping  them  we  may  glo¬ 
rify  our  Father  in  heaven,  and  secure  our  present 
welfare  and  our  future  reward.  On  the  other  hand, 
we  are  to  be  “slow  to  speak”;  for  incalculable  mis¬ 
chief  is  caused  by  hasty  and  impulsive  speech.  To 
this  cause,  more  than  to  any  other,  may  be  traced  the 
troubles  that  arise  among  saints  of  God.  Hence,  in 
this  practical  Epistle,  there  is  much  teaching  on  the 
subject  of  the  tongue.  Words  slip  out  so  easily;  and 


46 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


having  once  passed  onr  lips  they  cannot  be  recalled. 
If  there  were  even  a  little  heed  paid  to  this  command 
to  be  “slow  to  speak,”  if  only  a  little  reflection  were 
to  precede  our  utterances,  how  much  evil  and  strife 
and  hard  feelings  would  be  avoided !  That  this  is  in 
the  mind  of  the  writer  here  is  evident  from  the  next 
words,  1  1  slow  to  wrath ;  for  the  wrath  of  man  worketh 
not  the  righteousness  of  God.”  Nothing  in  the  way 
of  the  righteousness  of  God  can  be  accomplished  by 
what  we  attempt  to  do  in  heat,  or  anger,  or  vexation; 
and  often  our  efforts  to  accomplish  what  was  right 
in  itself  have  failed  for  this  reason.  “The  servant 
of  the  Lord  must  not  strive ,  but  be  gentle  to  all  men.  ’  ’ 
Wrath  is  one  of  the  most  diabolical  of  all  the  con¬ 
sequences  of  sin,  and  nothing  serves  so  well  to  arouse 
it  as  thoughtless  words. 

At  this  point  we  would  call  attention  again  to  the 
great  practical  object  of  James’  Epistle,  namely,  to 
insist  upon  that  which  is  real  and  inward ,  in  con¬ 
trast  with  the  religion  of  the  time,  which  consisted  in 
much  talking  and  little  doing.  A  diligent  and  sub¬ 
missive  hearing  of  the  Word  indicates  a  humble  and 
teachable  spirit,  and  leads  to  a  full  heart  and  a  fruit¬ 
ful  life.  Whereas  one  who  is  always  ready  to  de¬ 
clare  his  own  opinions  on  every  matter  is  not  only 
showing  himself  to  be  vain  and  proud,  but  he  is  also 
preventing  himself  from  receiving  intruction  and  ac¬ 
quiring  true  knowledge.  ‘  ‘  The  heart  of  the  righteous 
studieth  to  answer ;  but  the  mouth  of  the  wicked  pour- 
eth  out  evil  things”  (Prov.  15:28). 

The  Implanted  Word;  Able  to  Save  the  Soul 

The  great  and  much  needed  lesson  of  verse  20  is 
continued  in  verse  21:  “Wherefore,  lay  apart  all 
filthiness  and  superfluity  of  naughtiness  (or  wicked- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


47 


ness),  and  receive  with  meekness  the  engrafted  (or 
implanted)  Word,  which  is  able  to  save  your  souls.” 
It  is  the  Word  when  received  with  meekness  into  the 
heart  that  exerts  a  saving  influence  over  the  life,  or 
which,  as  Paul  puts  it,  “effectually  worketh  also  in 
you  that  believe”  (1  Th.  2:13).  Here  again  James 
insists  strongly  upon  reality,  demanding  that  we  so  re¬ 
ceive  the  Word  of  God  into  our  inner  being,  that  it 
becomes  an  active  working  part  of  our  every  day 
lives.  This  is  a  very  different  thing  from  merely  giv¬ 
ing  our  passive  acquiescence  to  the  statements  of  the 
Word.  One  may  be  a  consenter  to  the  truth  of  all 
Scripture,  and  yet  not  have  a  bit  of  it  implanted  in 
his  heart. 

The  compelling  reason  here  given  for  receiving  the 
Word  as  something  planted  and  growing  within  us 
is  that  the  Word,  when  so  received,  is  able  to  save  our 
souls.  But  some  will  say,  I  supposed  my  soul  was 
saved  the  moment  I  trusted  Christ.  The  Scripture 
does  not  so  speak.  The  Scripture  carefully  distin¬ 
guishes  between  spirit  and  soul,  and  it  is  much  to  be 
regretted  that,  in  current  speech,  the  word  “soul”  is 
commonly  used  where  Scripture  uses  “heart”  or 
“spirit.”  The  Word  of  God  divides  between  “soid 
and  spirit”  (Heb.  4:12)  ;  and  it  would  be  well  if  mod¬ 
ern  preachers  and  writers  would  do  the  same.  The 
soul  of  the  believer  will  not  be  “saved”  until  it  is 
placed  forever  beyond  the  temptation  and  defilement 
of  sin.  So  long  as  we  are  exposed  “to  fleshly  lusts 
which  war  against  the  soul,”  in  other  words,  as  long 
as  we  are  “strangers  or  pilgrims”  on  earth,  our  souls 
will  be  in  danger  of  temptation  to  sin  (1  Pet.  2:11), 
just  as  our  bodies  will  be  in  danger  from  diseases  and 
accidents. 


48 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


The  soul  is  the  natural  life ,  the  personal  and  con¬ 
scious  being  of  man ,  the  seat  of  his  various  feelings 
and  experiences  of  pleasure  and  pain,  joy  and  sorrow, 
of  his  appetites  and  cravings.  Thus  the  soul  of  man 
has  much  in  common  with  that  of  other  animals.  (In 
fact  the  word  “ animal”  is  derived  from  anima,  mean¬ 
ing  soul.)  But  the  spirit  of  man  is  the  seat  of  his 
understanding .  whereby  he  may  come  into  conscious 
relations  with  God  (1  Cor.  2:11,  12).# 

The  context  makes  plain  what  sort  of  evils  they 
are  from  which  the  Word,  when  planted  within,  is 
able  to  save  our  souls;  for  the  writer  of  the  Epistle 
speaks  here  of  the  misuse  of  the  tongue,  and  of  “all 
manner  of  filthiness  and  superfluity  of  naughtiness,” 
that  is,  in  those  things  wherein  the  wickedness  of  man 
abounds.  It  is  the  every-day-salvation,  from  tempta¬ 
tions  of  many  different  sorts,  that  is  here  spoken  of, 
salvation  from  those  evil  things  by  which  our  souls  are 
endangered,  as  are  our  bodies  by  physical  accidents 
and  sicknesses.  The  implanted  Word  is  a  protection 
against  the  former,  and  hence  in  a  measure  (that  is, 
insofar  as  sicknesses  are  the  consequences  of  sins) 
against  the  latter  also. 

But  the  great  purpose  for  which  we  are  to  have 
the  Word  implanted  in  us  is  that  it  may  shape  and 
control  our  outward  doings.  For  the  next  words  are : 
“But  be  ye  doers  of  the  word ,  and  not  hearers  only, 
deceiving  your  own  selves”  (v.  22).  Here  again 
James  insists  upon  reality,  and  he  gives  in  the  next 
succeeding  verses  (23  and  24)  a  strong  warning  of 
the  danger  of  deceiving  ourselves  in  this  vital  mat¬ 
ter.  For  one  may  listen,  and  even  with  respect,  to 

*See  the  writer’s  book,  God’s  Pilgrims,  chapter  on  Faith 
to  the  Saving  of  the  Soul  (Hamilton  Bros.,  publishers). 


JAMBS:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


49 


the  Word  of  God,  and  may  retain  much  of  it  in  his 
memory,  and  yet  not  manifest  any  of  the  fruits  there¬ 
of.  So  it  is  with  thousands  and  millions  who  attend 
church  services,  where  the  Scriptures  are  read,  and 
who  yet  ‘  ‘  obey  not  the  gospel.  ’ ’  Such  are,  in  a  way, 
worse  off,  and  often  are  harder  to  reach,  with  the 
truth  of  salvation,  than  those  who  never  take  part  in 
religious  exercises.  For  if  they  think  they  are  gain¬ 
ing  favor  with  God,  or  are  deriving  benefit  from  their 
church-going,  they  are  deceiving  their  own  selves. 
Self-deception  is  the  worst  sort  of  deception. 

So  likewise,  saints  of  God  may  habitually,  and  from 
a  sense  of  duty,  read  or  listen  to  the  Word  most  re¬ 
spectfully;  they  may  profess  great  admiration  for  it, 
may  believe  in  its  full  inspiration ;  they  may  even  be 
learned  in  the  Scriptures,  may  be  able  to  discourse 
thereon,  and  to  discuss  the  teachings  thereof 
most  intelligently ;  they  may  be  able  to  apply 
those  teachings  to  others,  and  yet  be  “hearers  only, 
not  doers,”  thus  deceiving  themselves,  and  there¬ 
by  incurring  present  harm  and  future  loss.  Here 
is  a  matter  regarding  which  we  need,  one  and 
all,  to  be  thoroughly  aroused.  The  Lord  Jesus  brings 
His  “Sermon  on  the  Mount”  to  a  tremendous  climax 
in  describing  what  will  happen  to  everyone  who  hear- 
eth  those  sayings  of  His  and  doeth  them  not  (Matt. 
7:26,27). 

James  likens  the  man  who  is  only  a  hearer  of  the 
Word  to  one  who,  beholding  his  natural  face  in  a 
glass,  goeth  his  way,  and  straightway  forgetteth  what 
manner  of  man  he  was.  So  is  he  who  merely  occupies 
himself  with  the  Scripture  in  a  superficial  way,  omit¬ 
ting  to  make  application  of  it  to  his  own  life,  even 
though,  while  looking  into  the  Word,  he  may  have 


50 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


seen  momentarily,  in  its  clear  light,  what  manner  of 
man  he  really  was,  and  thus  have  been  made  fully 
aware  of  his  own  moral  disfigurement. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  believer  who  looketh  into 
the  “perfect  law  of  liberty”  and  continueth  in  it,  he 
being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work 
(i.  e.,  of  that  which  is  commanded),  this  man  shall 
be  blessed  in  Ms  doing. 

The  Perfect  Law  of  Liberty 

The  title  here  given  to  the  Word  of  God  claims  our 
special  attention.  The  Holy  Spirit,  through  James, 
calls  it  “the  perfect  law,  that  of  liberty.”  This  title 
is  specially  significant  because  James  is  here  emphas¬ 
izing  the  importance  of  doing  the  things  found  in  the 
Word;  and  in  this  he  is  following  closely  the  Lord’s 
own  teaching  given  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  By 
some  in  our  day  the  doing  of  the  things  commanded 
in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  decried  as  “legality” 
and  “bondage”;  and  because  of  this  the  command¬ 
ments  of  Christ  have  been  virtually  cast  out  of  the 
house,  as  not  belonging  to  those  who  are  “under 
grace.”  But  the  Holy  Spirit  here  designates  the 
Word  (evidently  referring  in  a  special  way  to 
Christ’s  own  personal  teaching  which  is  closely  fol¬ 
lowed  in  this  Epistle)— “the  perfect  law,  that  of  lib¬ 
erty.”  Let  us  then  cling  to  that  precious  “Word”  as 
to  a  treasure  of  priceless  worth  and  reject  every 
teaching  which  would  deprive  us  of  it,  no  matter  from 
what  source  that  teaching  may  emanate. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  the  man  who  would 
shape  his  conduct  wholly  according  to  the  command¬ 
ments  of  Christ,  so  far  from  being  under  a  “yoke  of 
bondage,”  would  enjoy  perfect  liberty ;  even  as  the 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY  51 

Psalmist  said :  “  So  shall  I  keep  Thy  law  continually 
for  ever  and  ever;  and  I  will  walk  at  liberty,  for  I 
seek  Thy  precepts”  (Ps.  119:44,  45).  And  again  “0 
Lord,  truly  I  am  Thy  servant.  .  .  .  Thou  hast  loosed 
my  bonds’'  (Psa.  116:16).  Before  one  can  be  the 
servant  of  Christ,  he  must  be  loosed  from  every 
bondage.  (See  Rom.  6:22.)  His  service  is  perfect 
1  ‘liberty.” 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself  was  surely  the  only 
Man  who  ever  walked  through  this  world  in  true  lib¬ 
erty  and  He  says  of  Himself  that  He  kept  His  Fa¬ 
ther’s  commandments  (John  15:10).  So  likewise  to 
His  disciples  He  said,  “If  ye  continue  in  My  Word” 
—  (comp.  James’  words  “and  continueth  therein”)  — 
“then  are  ye  My  disciples  indeed,  and  ye  shall  know 
the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free ”  ( Jno.  8  : 
31,  32).  Evidently  it  is  while  we  are  doing  the  truth 
that  it  makes  us  free.* 

Thus,  of  the  first  converts  of  the  gospel  it  is  writ¬ 
ten,  that  they  “continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles’ 
doctrine that  is  to  say,  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
which  was  taught,  after  His  departure,  by  His  apos¬ 
tles,  as  He  had  commanded  them  (Matt.  28:19,  20). 

In  some  such  sense  we  understand  the  words,  “For 
the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made 
me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death”  (Rom.  8:2). 
A  man’s  course  of  conduct  in  this  world  must  needs 
be  controlled  by  some  “law.”  Ordinarily  he  -would 
be  subject  to  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  But  the  be¬ 
liever,  through  keeping  the  law  of  the  Spirit,  or,  in 
other  words,  through  walking  in  the  Spirit,  is  made 
free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 


*See  comments  on  Galatians  5:1  in  the  writer’s  book.. 
“ Our  Liberty  in  Christ,  (Hamilton  Bros.,  publishers). 


52 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


The  4 ‘law  of  Christ”  (Gal.  6:2)  is  “the  law  of  K6- 
erty”  because  it  can  be  obeyed  only  by  those  whom 
Christ  has  made  free  from  the  bondage  of  sin  and 
death  (John  8:36);  and  also  because  it  is  to  be 
“obeyed  from  the  heart ”  (Rom.  6:17),  that  is,  as  a 
matter  of  our  free  choice.  For  we  must  take  His  yoke 
upon  us  of  our  own  will.  He  will  not  force  it  upon 
any. 


CHAPTER  V 


Pure  Religion  and  the  Faith  of  Christ.  The 
Royal  Law  and  the  Law  of  Liberty 

The  word  “religion”  is  a  very  common  one  in  mod¬ 
ern  usage,  but  a  very  uncommon  one  in  the  Bible. 
In  the  New  Testament  it  is  found  only  in  these  verses 
(James  1:26,  27)  and  in  Acts  26:5,  where  Paul  says: 
“After  the  most  straitest  sect  of  our  religion  I  lived 
a  Pharisee.”  (The  word  rendered  “Jews’  religion” 
in  Gal.  1:12,  13  is  in  the  original  Judaism.)  Chris¬ 
tianity  is  not  called  in  the  Scripture  a  religion.  For 
religions  are  systems  of  outward  observances,  whereas 
Christianity  is  essentially  a  thing  of  the  heart — the 
new  life  of  the  risen  Man  Christ  Jesus,  imparted  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  believer,  whose  outward  acts, 
so  far  as  they  are  in  keeping  with  the  new  nature  im¬ 
parted  to  him,  are  not  acts  of  religion,  but  the  natu¬ 
ral  expressions  of  that  new  life  and  nature. 

Accordingly,  J ames  contrasts  the  mere  outward 
seeming  to  be  religious,  with  that  which  is  real  and 
inward,  and  which  will  specially  manifest  itself  in 
the  bridling  of  the  tongue ;  and  he  defines  pure  reli¬ 
gion  before  God  and  the  Father  (in  contrast  with  that 
which  seems  a  religious  mode  of  life  in  the  eyes  of 
men)  as  consisting  of  an  outward  and  also  an  inward 
part. 

The  duty  of  relieving  the  fatherless  and  the  widows 
was  ever  pressed  upon  the  Israelites  by  their  merci¬ 
ful  law;  and  the  same  duty  remains  as  the  unchang¬ 
ing  will  of  Him  Who  is  “the  Father  of  mercies,”  as 
well  as  “the  Father  of  lights.”  God,  Who  here  re- 


54 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


minds  u i  that  He  Himself  is  a  4 ‘Father,”  requires 
His  children  to  care  for  the  fatherless.  But  to  this  is 
conjoined  the  inward  element,  “to  keep  himself  un¬ 
spotted  from  the  world."  It  is  only  in  the  light  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  for  the  New  Testament  peo¬ 
ple,  that  “the  world/7  with  which  they  are  in  daily 
contact,  is  made  a  foreign  country  and  a  land  of  de¬ 
filement  from  which  they  have  been  delivered  by  the 
death  of  Christ  (Gal.  1 :4  and  6 :14,  &c.).  The  subject 
of  “friendship  with  the  world/’  as  involving  unfaith¬ 
fulness  to  God,  is  referred  to  in  chapter  4:4.  This 
again  shows  us  that  in  the  Epistle  of  James  we  are 
upon  New  Testament  ground. 

Chapter  2  takes  up  the  subject  of  “the  faith  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,”  which  subject  occupies  the  great¬ 
er  part  of  the  chapter.  There  is  here  presented  to 
our  minds  an  instructive  contrast  with  the  subject  of 
“religion,”  which  is  found  in  the  verses  immediately 
preceding,  which  contrast,  however,  is  likely  to  be 
missed  because  of  a  chapter-break  introduced 
between  the  two  subjects.  For  we  have  not  to  do 
merely  with  a  religion — not  even  with  “pure  religion 
and  undefiled”  (were  such  a  thing  possible  for  man)  ; 
— but  we  have  to  do  with  the  vital  matter  of  faith , 
even  “the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,”  by  which  we  are 
to  live  (Gal.  2:20). 

There  is  need  to  look  closely  at  verse  1  (of  James  2) 
in  order  to  get  its  sense  and  meaning.  It  reads  in  the 
A.  Y.  “My  brethren,  have  not  the  faith  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  Glory,  with  respect  of  per¬ 
sons.”  What  James  here  rebukes  is  that  disposition 
— very  pronounced  among  the  Jews — to  show  respect 
to  persons  of  learning  or  wealth,  or  social  position, 
or  who  had  some  other  claim  to  distinction  in  the  flesh, 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


65 


and  to  pay  flattering  attentions  to  snch,  while  show¬ 
ing  scant  courtesy  to  the  poor  and  humble. 

One  of  the  most  pronounced  features  of  the  Ju¬ 
daism  of  Christ’s  time  was  Rabbinism,  that  is  to  say, 
the  autocratic  power  in  all  doctrinal  matters  that  was 
exercised  by  the  Rabbis,  and  the  extravagant  defer¬ 
ence  which  they  exacted,  and  which  was  paid  to  them 
by  the  common  people.  Moreover,  it  was  one  of  the 
cardinal  points  of  the  religion  of  the  Pharisees  (which 
word  means  separated  ones)  that  personal  sanctity 
was  to  be  attained  by  avoiding  contact  with  common 
and  ignorant  people. 

This  partiality,  or  unjust  discrimination,  is  direct¬ 
ly  opposed  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  at  the  very  founda¬ 
tion  of  which  lies  the  fact  that  all  men  alike  are  sin¬ 
ners,  and  that  none  can  be  saved  but  by  grace  alone. 
The  sense  of  the  verse,  therefore,  would  be  better 
understood  if  read  thus:  “My  brethren,  in  showing 
respect  of  persons” — that  is  in  making  distinctions 
where  God  makes  none — “ye  have  not  the  faith  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 

The  making  of  such  differences  in  behaviour  as  be¬ 
tween  the  rich  and  the  poor  might  seem  to  us  a  small 
matter.  But  in  God’s  eyes  it  is,  as  many  Scriptures 
tell  us,  a  great  matter.  For  God  has  chosen  the  poor 
of  this  world  (verse  5)  ;  and  therefore,  to  discriminate 
against  them,  and  to  despise  them,  is  to  despise  God’s 
choice.  The  Lord’s  own  teaching  makes  constant  ref¬ 
erence  to  the  fact  that  the  poor  have  a  special  claim 
upon  His  consideration.  His  first  blessing  is  pro¬ 
nounced  upon  the  poor  in  spirit  (Matt.  5:3)  ;  and  in 
announcing,  in  another  connection,  the  purposes  for 
which  the  Father  had  sent  Him  into  the  world,  the 
first  item  mentioned  by  Him  was  “to  preach  the  gos- 


56 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


pel  to  the  poor”  (Lu.  4:18).  On  the  other  hand  He 
has  declared  how  exceedingly  difficult  it  is  for  a  rich 
man  to  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God  (Lu.  24-27). 
For  this  reason  every  rich  man  who  is  saved  by  God’s 
grace  and  power  should  be  most  humbly  grateful  to 
find  himself  among  the  saved  poor,  and  should  be 
most  anxious  to  seek  out  for  himself  the  lowest  place, 
refusing  to  accept  any  flattering  attentions  because  of 
his  worldly  possessions. 

The  apostle  Paul  also  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that 
God  has  chosen  for  Himself  the  foolish  things  of  the 
world,  and  the  weak  things,  and  base  things,  and 
things  which  are  despised,  and  things  which  are  not; 
and  this  He  has  done  with  the  express  object  “that 
no  flesh  should  glory  in  His  presence”  (1  Cor.  1:26- 
29).  Hence  for  any  to  give  respect  to  a  man  because 
of  some  worldly  distinction  is  to  deny  “the  faith  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 

Here  again  we  see  how  James  insists  upon  that 
which  is  real  in  regard  to  faith.  A  man  might  be  per¬ 
fectly  orthodox,  holding  correct  views  on  every  point 
of  doctrine,  and  yet  might  deny  the  faith  by  his  con¬ 
duct,  in  some  such  way  as  instanced  in  these  verses. 
This  lesson  is  most  needful  in  a  day  like  the  present 
when  accuracy  in  the  mere  letter  of  doctrine  is  made 
the  great  thing,  and  when  thousands  are  resting  upon 
a  mere  barren  and  unfruitful  orthodoxy. 

The  importance  which  God  attaches  to  this  matter 
of  showing  partiality  is  made  evident  also  by  the  re¬ 
peated  statement  that  God  Himself  is  no  respecter  of 
the  persons  of  men.  In  Deut.  10  :17-19  the  doctrine 
is  stated  with  clearness;  and  it  is  stated  again  in  2 
Chronicles  19  :7.  The  reading  of  the  context  will  be 
found  helpful. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


57 


This  great  principle  was  once  more  asserted  on  the 
occasion  of  the  formal  sending  of  the  gospel  to  Gen¬ 
tiles,  when  Peter  said,  “Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that 
God  is  no  respecter  of  persons’ ’  (Acts  10:34). 

Paul  asserts  it  also  in  laying  down  the  solemn  truth 
as  to  the  coming  judgment  of  all  men,  at  which  time 
there  will  be  no  preference  shown  (Rom.  2:11).  And 
again  concerning  those  who  had  been  apostles  before 
himself,  Paul  brought  to  mind  that  God  accepts  no 
man’s  person  (Gal.  2:6.  See  also  Eph.  6:9;  Col. 
3:25;  1  Pet.  1:17), 

There  is,  of  course,  nothing  in  these  passages  that 
conflicts  with  other  Scriptures  which  command  that 
due  respect  and  honor  be  shown  to  authorities,  to  eld¬ 
ers,  to  parents,  etc.  That  is  not  showing  respect  or 
partiality  to  the  persons  thus  honored,  but  to  the 
positions  in  which  God  has  temporarily  placed  them. 
It  is,  in  reality,  honoring  God  Himself. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  diversities  and  inequalities 
of  condition,  which  exist  in  the  ordinary  relations  of 
human  society,  are  to  have  no  recognition  among  the 
saved.  No  deference  is  to  be  paid  to  a  man  because 
of  his  wealth,  or  superior  learning,  or  greater  natu¬ 
ral  ability.  All  such  disparities  are  done  away,  there 
being  a  perfect  equality  among  all  who  are  in  Christ. 
Differences  of  the  sort  referred  to  are  to  serve  mere¬ 
ly  as  occasions  for  the  display  of  that  love  among 
brethren  which  our  Lord  requires  by  His  “new  com¬ 
mandment”  (John  13:34,  35).  This  is  also  to  be  the 
proof  that  we  love  Him  (John  15:10-12)  and  the 
proof  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life  (1 
John  3 :14) . 

Of  the  first  converts  of  the  gospel  it  is  recorded 
that  they  were  so  ready  to  share  one  with  another, 


58 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


“according  as  every  man  had  need”  (Acts  2 :45 ;  4 :35), 
that  there  was  none  among  them  that  lacked.  For 
every  man  was  as  prompt  to  meet  another’s  need  out 
of  his  possessions  as  to  meet  his  own.  Thus  without 
any  pooling  of  goods,  or  anything  in  the  nature  of 
communism,  the  effect  was  as  if  the  possessions  of  all 
were  available  for  the  relief  of  each,  whenever  the 
“need”  arose.  It  was  by  thus  caring  lovingly  and 
unselfishly  for  one  another  that  those  first  believers 
“continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles’  teaching.” 

Verse  4  is  somewhat  obscure.  The  question  is 
asked  “Are  ye  not”  (in  showing  deference  to  the 
rich  man  more  than  to  the  poor)  “partial  among 
yourselves,  and  become  judges  of  evil  thoughts?” 
The  first  clause  needs  no  explanation.  The  second 
clause  conveys  a  reproof  to  those  who  made  them¬ 
selves  “judges,”  in  the  sense  of  discriminating  be¬ 
tween  rich  and  poor,  and  who  acted  under  the  in¬ 
fluence  of  “evil  thoughts”  ( dialogismos — reasonings, 
or  ratiocinations,  or  devious  mental  processes). 
Tregelles  renders  it  ‘ 1  Those  who  judge  from,  or  under 
the  influence  of,  evil  thoughts.” 

The  apostle  Paul  had  occasion  to  rebuke  another 
form  of  “respect  of  persons”  which  showed  itself  at 
Corinth  in  partiality  by  some  of  the  saints  there  for 
himself,  of  others  for  Peter,  and  of  others  for  Apollos. 
This  personal  preference  leads  to  envying,  strife,  and 
divisions  (1  Cor.  3:3).  In  fact,  neither  Paul  who 
planted  is  to  be  called  “anything,”  nor  Apollos  who 
watered  the  growing  plants;  for  each  simply  put  to 
its  proper  use  what  God  had  given  him  (v.  7). 

In  this  connection  Paul  uses  the  same  word  dia¬ 
logismos  (reasonings  or  mental  processes),  quoting 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


59 


Psalm  94:11,  “The  Lord  knoweth  the  thoughts  (or 
reasonings )  of  the  wise  that  they  are  vain”  (1  Cor. 
3  :20 ) .  And  he  also,  like  J ames,  draws  a  sharp  con¬ 
trast  between  the  true  or  heavenly  wisdom  and  the 
wisdom  of  this  world,  saying,  “If  any  man  among 
you  seemeth  to  be  wise  in  this  world,  let  him  become 
a  fool,  that  he  may  be  (truly)  wise”  (1  Cor.  3:18). 

It  is  according  to  the  wisdom  of  this  world  for  each 
man  to  look  sharply  after  his  own  interests,  to  take 
every  possible  advantage  of  others,  and  to  seek  favor 
with  the  great  and  influential.  But  the  wisdom  which 
descendeth  from  above  dictates  just  the  opposite 
course,  namely,  that  we  should  seek  the  welfare  of  the 
poor,  associate  with  the  lowly  (Rom.  12:16),  and 
leave  our  own  interests  to  the  care  of  our  Father  in 
heaven. 

The  words  “Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren”  at  the 
beginning  of  verse  5  (of  James  2)  are  intended  to  call 
special  attention  to  the  important  fact  that  God  hath 
chosen  the  poor  of  this  world,  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs 
of  the  kingdom  which  He  hath  promised  to  them  that 
love  Him.  “But  ye  have  despised  the  poor.” 
This  is  exceedingly  serious;  and  it  is  most  need¬ 
ful  that  those  who  have  custody  of  possessions  to 
an  amount  beyond  their  own  necessities  should  see  to 
it  that  they  neglect  not  the  needs  of  other  saints  which 
they  might  relieve.  God  permits  that  there  should  be 
those  who  are  poor  in  this  world’s  goods  among  His 
children,  not  that  they  should  be  slighted  or  humil¬ 
iated,  or  regarded  with  aversion,  but  in  order  that 
there  might  be  real  tests  of  sincerity,  and  real  mani¬ 
festations  of  brotherly  love. 

Those  who  are  now  counted  “poor”  are  in  reality 
rich  (for  the  things  of  faith  are  the  real  things),  for 


60 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


they  are  the  “  heirs  of  the  kingdom  which  God  has 
promised  to  them  that  love  Him.  ’  ’  Paul  gives  expres¬ 
sion  to  the  same  truth  when,  after  citing  the  fact  that 
God  has  chosen  the  weak  and  foolish  and  despised  of 
this  world,  he  goes  on  to  declare  that  eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
them  that  love  Him  (1  Cor.  2:9).  It  is  evident  that 
those  who  turn  to  God,  believing  in  His  Son,  are 
counted  as  loving  God .  All  who  believe  not  are  in 
reality  haters  of  God,  because  they  reject  His  mercy 
offered  now  to  all  men  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  they 
despise  the  great  salvation  which  He  accomplished 
by  giving  Himself  to  suffer  and  die  for  the  sins  of 
men. 

James  appeals  to  the  fact  (which  was  in  those  days 
no  doubt  a  matter  of  common  experience)  that  rich 
men  were  oppressors  of  others,  drawing  them  before 
the  judgment  seats.  Nearly  all  the  disputes  for 
which  the  civil  law  is  invoked  are  about  money;  and 
inasmuch  as  legal  processes  are  exceedingly  costly, 
the  rich  man  has  a  great  advantage  over  the  poor  liti¬ 
gant,  whose  poverty  often  prevents  him  from  even 
disputing  the  claim  that  is  pressed  against  him.  It 
is  evident,  without  going  beyond  this  Epistle,  that 
God  never  purposed  that  His  saints  should  be  de¬ 
pendent  for  help  either  upon  the  lawyers  or  the  doc¬ 
tors  of  this  world. 

It  is  evident  that  the  ‘  *  rich  men,  ’  ’  who  are  here  re¬ 
ferred  to,  are  men  of  the  world,  who  characteristical¬ 
ly  oppress  others  in  their  greed  of  gain,  and  who 
blaspheme  “that  worthy  Name”  which  has  been 
named  upon  the  people  of  God.  Twice  in  Proverbs 
it  is  declared  that  “He  that  oppresseth  the  poor  re- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


61 


proacheth  his  Maker;  but  he  that  honoureth  Him 
hath  mercy  on  the  poor”  (Prov.  14:30;  17:5). 

Continuing  the  same  subject,  James  now  refers  to 
the  written  law  of  the  Old  Testament, 1  ‘the  Scripture” 
(for  the  New  Testament  was  not  yet  written)  as  “the 
royal  law,”  saying:  “If  ye  fulfil  the  royal  law  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  Scripture,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh¬ 
bour  as  thyself,  ye  do  well.”  James  here  follows  the 
Lord’s  own  summary  of  the  law  as  recorded  in  Mat¬ 
thew  22:37-40.  He  refers,  however,  only  to  the  sec¬ 
ond  part  of  the  law,  which  alone  is  under  considera¬ 
tion  here — love  for  one’s  neighbour. 

Again  we  have  in  this  verse  also  a  very  close  paral¬ 
lel  with  Paul’s  teaching,  who  says,  “He  that  loveth 
another  hath  fulfilled  the  law.”  And  he,  like  James, 
recapitulates  the  commandments  and  then  says,  ‘ 4  And 
if  there  be  any  other  commandment,  it  is  briefly  com¬ 
prehended  in  this  saying,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh¬ 
bour  as  thyself”  (Rom.  13:8-10.  See  also  the  Lord’s 
exposition  of  this  “royal  law”  in  Luke  10:25-37). 

We  thus  see  that  the  law,  in  that  which  is  the  ex¬ 
pression  of  God’s  unchanging  character — Love — is, 
and  indeed  must  be,  the  same  for  all  dispensations; 
and  the  essence  of  it  is  the  serving  of  others  at  our 
own  cost.  If,  therefore,  we  have  a  spark  of  that  wis¬ 
dom  which  is  from  above,  we  shall  count  it  a  great 
privilege  that  we  are  on  earth  in  a  time  when  there 
are  opportunities  for  relieving  those  who,  because 
of  poverty,  or  sickness,  or  any  other  affliction,  or  dis¬ 
tress,  are  in  need  of  succor  which  it  is  in  our  power, 
if  only  in  a  little  measure,  to  extend.  Because  of 
these  conditions  it  is  possible  now  to  show  that 
divinest  of  qualities — mercy.  The  whole  lesson  of  the 
“Good  Samaritan”  is  expressed  in  the  words  “He 


62 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


that  showed  mercy ”  So  here  in  James  the  climax 
of  the  lesson  is  found  in  the  words  “  mercy  rejoiceth 
against  judgment”  (v.  13). 

The  very  opposite  of  this  is  that  grievous  sin  de¬ 
scribed  by  a  long  Greek  word,  to  which  reference  has 
already  been  made  and  which  is  rendered  to  have 
respect  of  persons.  To  this  sin  Jude,  the  brother  of 
James,  also  refers  in  speaking  of  those  who  admire 
persons  for  the  sake  of  advantage  or  profit  (Jude  16). 
If  we  do  that,  we  commit  sin,  and  are  convicted  by 
the  law  as  transgressors.  And  in  this  connection 
James  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  a  man  is  a  trans¬ 
gressor  if  he  has  offended  (literally  stumbled)  even  in 
one  point  only.  For,  as  shown  by  Paul  in  Romans  13, 
referred  to  above,  the  law  is  a  unity,  though  expressed 
(for  our  better  comprehension)  in  diverse  command¬ 
ments.  If  the  law  had  simply  said  “Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself,”  all  the  commandments 
would  have  been  embraced  in  that  one  saying. 

How  happy  then  are  they  who  are  saved  by  grace 
through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus !  For  though  guilty  be¬ 
fore  God  as  transgressors  of  His  holy  law,  they  are 
“not  under  law”  to  be  judged  by  it,  but  have  “ob¬ 
tained  mercy  ”  having  been  “justified  freely  by  His 
grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Je¬ 
sus.”  The  law  remains  indeed  to  be  kept;  but  it  is 
to  us  “the  law  of  liberty There  is  no  “bondage” 
in  keeping  the  law  to  those  who  are  called  to  live  by 
it,  as  Jesus  Himself  lived  by  it,  Who  kept  His  Fa¬ 
ther’s  commandments,  and  abode  in  His  love.  He 
gives  the  same  rule  to  us  (John  15:10). 

James  recognizes  and  points  out  in  his  next  words, 
this  difference  in  the  relationship  which  believers  in 
Christ  sustain  towards  the  law :  “So  speak  ye,  and 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


63 


so  do,  as  they  that  shall  be  judged  by  the  law  of  lib¬ 
erty”  (v.  12)  ;  and  he  again  indicates  the  essential 
matter,  adding,  “For  he  shall  have  judgment  with¬ 
out  mercy  that  hath  showed  no  mercy ”  (let  us  call  to 
mind  in  this  connection  the  case  of  the  rich  man  who 
showed  no  mercy  to  Lazarus)  “and  mercy  rejoiceth 
against  judgment.’ ’ 

Our  Lord  has  said,  “Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for 
they  shall  obtain  mercy”;  and  again,  “Judge  not, 
that  ye  be  not  judged.  For  with  what  judgment  ye 
judge,  ye  shall  be  judged :  and  with  what  measure  ye 
mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again”  (Matt.  5  :7 ; 
7 :1,  2).  This  is  “the  law  of  liberty”  by  which  we  shall 
be  judged. 

Augustus  Neander  (the  German  evangelical  histo¬ 
rian)  commenting  on  James  2:8-13  says: 

“It  is  assumed  that,  regardless  of  all  differences 
in  the  conduct  of  men,  all  are  equally  guilty  in  the 
sight  of  the  law.  But,  as  Christ  teaches  us  to  pray 
‘  Forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors,  ’  even 
so  does  James  exhort  that,  by  exercising  gentleness 
and  mercy,  in  the  consciousness  of  still  remaining  sin, 
we  should  show  ourselves  meet  subjects  of  the  Divine 
compassion. 

“Christians  should  speak  and  act  with  a  continual 
sense  of  their  own  need  of  God’s  mercy .  Then  will 
meekness  in  speech  and  manner  be  its  spontaneous  ex¬ 
pression,  and  mercy  will  prevail  over  strict  justice. 
In  this  view  therefore  James  calls  the  law  by  which 
the  Christian  is  judged,  the  law  of  liberty.  For  he 
is  no  longer  under  the  yoke  of  a  law  requiring  abso¬ 
lute  obedience  (which  none  can  render)  as  the  con¬ 
dition  of  salvation;  but  he  is  connected  with  a  law 
which  is  fulfilled  in  the  free  obedience  of  love — not 


64 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


of  fear — in  the  full  consciousness  of  sins  forgiven, 
and  in  confiding  dependence  upon  the  mercy  of  God.  ’  ’ 

The  statement  that  believers  in  Jesus  Christ  are  to 
be  judged  by  the  law  of  liberty  is  not,  of  course,  to 
be  taken  as  meaning  that  they  will  be  judged  as  to 
their  salvation,  but  as  to  their  rewards.  For  those 
who  belong  to  Christ  will  “not  come  into  judgment” 
(John  5:24). 

May  we  therefore  seek  and  obtain  that  true  wisdom, 
whereby  to  value  and  make  full  use  of  our  present  op¬ 
portunities  in  showing  mercy  and  in  meting  liberally 
to  others  of  that  with  which  we  have  been  entrusted. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Faith  and  Works,  Teachers  and  the  Tongue 

The  Epistle  of  James  appears,  upon  a  casual  read¬ 
ing,  to  consist  of  a  series  of  disjointed  instructions; 
and  the  change  from  one  topic  to  another  seems,  in 
some  cases,  quite  abrupt.  But,  upon  closer  study,  it 
will  be  seen  that  there  is  a  connection  between  the  sev¬ 
eral  topics  treated.  The  great  subject  of  faith  runs 
all  through,  beginning  with  the  reference  to  the  trial 
of  faith  in  the  first  chapter,  and  extending  to  the 
prayer  of  faith  in  the  last. 

In  our  present  chapter  (2)  “the  faith  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  Glory”  links,  as  we  have 
seen,  with  the  subject  of  “pure  religion  before  God 
the  Father  ’  ’ ;  and  it  is  treated  at  first  by  contrast  with 
that  sin  of  showing  respect  of  persons,  with  which 
it  can  have  no  fellowship.  At  verse  14,  however,  the 
main  subject — faith — is  taken  up,  in  a  passage  of 
deepest  interest,  the  writer’s  purpose  being  now  to 
show  what  “faith”  really  is,  and  to  distinguish  it 
from  that  which  is  often  miscalled  by  the  same  name. 

We  come  now  to  the  words:  “What  doth  it  profit, 
my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  and 
have  not  works?  Can  faith  save  him?”  A  careful 
reading  of  the  whole  passage  shows  that  in  it  James 
condemns  a  so-called  “faith”  which  does  not  mani¬ 
fest  the  appropriate  works  of  faith,  just  as  he  had 
previously  condemned  the  mere  hearing  and  know¬ 
ing  of  the  Word  apart  from  the  doing  of  those  things 
which  that  Word  commands. 

It  should  be  noted  that  James  does  not  say  or  im- 


66 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


ply  that  a  man  who  has  faith  would  under  any  cir¬ 
cumstances  be  lost;  but  that  a  man  who  says  he  has 
it,  and  does  not  manifest  it,  would  rightly  be  regarded 
as  destitute  of  saving  faith.  For  saving  faith  is  a 
live  thing ;  and  where  it  exists  in  the  heart ,  it  must  ap¬ 
pear  in  the  life.  Whereas  to  accept  a  creed — though 
it  be  a  perfectly  orthodox  creed — which  makes  one  a 
mere  consenter  to  the  truth  of  Christianity — is  a  life¬ 
less  thing.  So  James  says  plainly  that  faith,  if  it 
hath  not  works,  is  dead  (v.  17). 

This  is  not  a  different  doctrine  of  faith  from  that 
taught  by  Paul,  but  is  in  perfect  agreement  therewith. 
Take  for  example  the  statement  of  Gal.  5:6,  “  For  in 
Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  anything, 
nor  uncircumcision,  but  faith  which  worketh  by 
love.”  Here  we  have  the  truth  that  the  only  thing 
which  avails  for  salvation  is  faith;  but  words  are 
added  which  show  that  faith  is  not  merely  an  at¬ 
titude  of  the  mind,  or  the  mere  acceptance  of 
certain  formulas  of  doctrine,  but  an  active  thing, 
manifesting  itself  in  works  of  loving  service  to  others. 
Clearly  this  is  the  same  as  saying  that  faith,  so-called, 
which  does  not  show  itself  in  works,  is  of  no  avail  for 
salvation. 

The  correspondence  of  the  doctrine  of  James  with 
that  of  Paul  is  still  more  clearly  seen  in  the  light  of 
the  homely  illustration  given  by  the  former:  “If  a 
brother  or  sister  be  naked  and  destitute  of  daily  food, 
and  one  of  you  say  unto  them,  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye 
warmed  and  filled ;  notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not 
those  things  which  are  needful  to  the  body;  what 
doth  it  profit?”  One  who  had  “the  faith  of  the  Son 
of  God”  would  surely  be  swift,  in  such  a  case,  to  sup¬ 
ply  the  needed  things ;  for  true  faith  worketh  by  love, 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


67 


and  is  eager  to  manifest  itself  whenever  the  opportu¬ 
nity  occurs.  Hence  the  conduct  of  one  such  as  James 
describes  would  be  clear  evidence  that  his  “faith” 
was  but  an  empty  profession. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  faith  works  by  love,  we 
have  an  instructive  parallel  to  the  doctrine  of  James, 
in  the  words  of  1  John  3:16,  17 — “And  we  ought  to 
lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren.  But  whoso  hath 
this  world’s  goods,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need, 
and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him, 
how  dwelletli  the  love  of  God  in  him t”  Upon  com¬ 
paring  these  passages,  which  merit  our  careful  at¬ 
tention,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  very  conduct  which, 
according  to  James,  would  show  that  a  man  is  devoid 
of  the  faith  of  Christ,  would  show,  according  to  John, 
that  he  is  devoid  of  the  love  of  God.  From  this  it  fol¬ 
lows  that  where  true  faith  is,  love  will  be  found  al¬ 
so  ;  which  is  just  what  Paul  asserts  in  Galatians  5  :6. 

It  will  be  seen  also  from  these  Scriptures  that  faith 
is  not  a  mere  acquiescence  in  the  truth  of  the  Bible, 
nor  is  love  a  mere  sentimental  feeling;  but  that  both 
the  one  and  the  other  consist  in  the  very  practical 
matter  of  doing  for  others  at  one's  own  cost.  And 
this  is  the  aim  and  object  of  all  the  teaching  given  to 
the  children  of  God ;  for  when  they  ‘  ‘  walk  in  love  as 
Christ  has  loved  us”  (Eph.  5:2),  then  they  are  in¬ 
deed  like  God ;  for  “God  is  Love.” 

The  parallel  we  have  been  drawing  between  the 
teaching  of  James  and  that  of  John  can  be  carried 
further;  for  while  John  says,  “Herein  is  our  love 
made  perfect,”  James  says,  “By  works  was  faith 
made  perfect” — meaning,  of  course,  perfect  (or  com¬ 
plete)  as  to  its  manifestation  and  practical  purpose. 

To  illustrate  further  his  meaning,  James  now  sup- 


68 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


poses  the  case  of  a  man  who  takes  the  same  view  of 
faith  which  he  himself  takes,  and  who  accordingly  ad¬ 
dresses  one  who  claims  to  have  faith,  saying,  “Thou 
hast  faith,  and  I  have  works!  (indeed!)  Show  me 
then  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show 
thee  my  faith  by  my  works”  (v.  18).  This  makes  it 
quite  clear  that  James  insists  on  ‘ 1  works,  ”  not  as  be¬ 
ing  themselves  that  which  justifies  a  man,  but  as  be¬ 
ing  that  which  “ shows”  that  he  really  has  faith.  In 
other  words,  what  James  lays  stress  upon  is  “  works 
of  faith” ;  whereas,  when  Paul  distinguishes  between 
faith  and  works,  he  means  works  of  law,  not  works 
of  faith. 

Both  Paul  and  James  refer  to  Abraham  in  support 
of  their  teaching,  which  is  a  further  proof  of  the  uni¬ 
ty  of  their  doctrine.  Paul  cites  Abraham  as  the  great 
example  of  saving  faith,  whereas  James  cites  what 
Abraham  did  as  a  proof  that  he  really  had  saving 
faith. 

In  this  sense  it  is  true  as  James  says  that  Abraham 
was  justified  by  works  when  he  had  offered  Isaac  on 
the  altar;  for  he  immediately  adds,  “Seest  thou  how 
faith  wrought  with  his  works/’  which  shows  again 
that  faith  was  the  effective  thing,  and  that  the  works 
merely  proved  its  existence  and  its  genuineness.  So 
likewise  in  Hebrews  11:17-19  it  is  declared  that  the 
offering  of  Isaac  by  his  father  Abraham  was  an  act 
of  faith,  he  believing  that  God  was  able  even  to  raise 
him  up  from  the  dead.  Saving  faith  then  consists  in 
trusting  in  God  Who  quickens  the  dead  (Rom.  4 :17, 
24;  10:9).  Abraham  not  only  had  this  faith,  but  he 
also  showed  it  by  his  actions.  Paul  lays  stress  upon 
the  fact  that  he  had  it,  while  James  upon  the  fact  that 
his  works  proved  he  had  it. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


69 


We  may  therefore  sum  up  briefly  the  substance  of 
what  this  important  passage  teaches,  by  saying  that 
the  “works”  whereby  a  man  is  justified  are  works 
which  spring  from  faith  divinely  produced  in  his 
heart. 

The  Belief  of  Demons 

James  also,  in  the  passage  now  before  us,  illus¬ 
trates  his  lesson  concerning  faith  by  appealing  to  the 
fact  that  even  the  demons  (or  evil  spirits)  believe 
and  tremble  (i.  e.,  shudder — not  the  same  word  as 
“trembling”  in  Phil.  2:12;  1  Cor.  2:3,  etc.).  This 
at  once  exposes  the  ineffectiveness  of  a  mere  passive 
“belief.”  The  very  same  facts,  which  cause  the  de¬ 
mons  to  shudder  with  dismay,  cause  the  truly  repent¬ 
ant  and  believing  sinner  to  “rejoice  with  trembling.” 
And  why?  Because  the  Word  of  God  reveals  mercy 
for  sinners,  but  none  for  demons.  It  is  impossible  for 
demons  to  do  works  of  faith;  for  there  is  no  saving 
faith  for  them,  there  being  no  promise  of  God  on 
which  they  could  rest,  though  they  might  pass  every 
test  for  the  strictest  orthodoxy.  If,  therefore,  ortho¬ 
doxy  could  save,  the  demons  would  be  saved.  They 
were  quick  to  recognize  and  to  acknowledge  the  Lord 
when  He  was  among  men.  They  even  prayed  to  Him, 
and  had  their  prayer  granted  (Matt.  8:31,  32). 

By  consideration  of  the  fact  that  even  the  demons 
believe,  we  can  learn  that  real  Bible  “faith”  involves 
not  only  the  acceptance  as  true  of  what  the  Bible  re¬ 
veals  concerning  God  and  Christ,  and  ourselves  (for 
the  demons  do  all  that)  but  also  the  living  of  a  life 
with  reference  to  God  and  His  revealed  truth,  a  life 
which  is  altogether  different  from,  and  often  directly 


70 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


contrary  to,  the  course  of  conduct  we  pursued  when 
unsaved  (Eph.  2  :l-3).  To  quote  again  from  Neander : 

“  Faith  in  God,  in  its  true  sense,  can  only  exist 
where  He  is  consciously  recognized  as  the  highest 
good,  and  where  the  whole  life  has  reference  to  Him. 
That  is  true  ‘faith’  which  includes  in  itself  a  living 
fellowship  with  God — a  practical,  not  merely  an  in¬ 
tellectual  faith.” 

Finally,  in  the  passage  before  us,  we  are  referred  to 
the  faith  of  Rahab ;  it  being  fitting  that  an  example 
should  be  given  to  show  that  the  same  faith  avails 
Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews — and  always  did.  There  were 
others,  perhaps  many  in  Jericho,  who  “believed” 
what  Rahab  believed.  But  she  also  acted  upon  her 
belief,  first  in  asking  that  she  and  her  father’s  house 
be  saved  alive,  then  in  protecting  the  messengers,  and 
finally  in  displaying  for  her  protection  the  scarlet 
cord,  as  they  directed  her.  As  in  the  case  of  Abra¬ 
ham,  Rahab ’s  “works”  were  directly  contrary  to 
what  she  would  have  done  naturally.  And  thus  true 
faith  ever  manifests  itself. 

Summing  up  all  his  teaching  and  examples  James 
says  that,  “as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so 
faith  without  works  is  dead  also.”  This  comparison 
is  not,  of  course,  intended  to  suggest  that  faith  re¬ 
sembles  a  human  body  while  works  resemble  the  spirit 
which  animates  that  body ;  for  the  spirit  in  fact  is  hid¬ 
den,  even  as  faith,  in  itself,  is  unseen.  But  the  point 
of  the  comparison  lies  in  this,  that  life  is,  like  faith ,  a 
thing  which  we  cannot  “show”  in  itself.  By  the  ac¬ 
tions  of  the  body,  however,  the  life  within  it  is  mani¬ 
fested,  and  without  those  actions  of  the  spirit  the 
body  is,  to  all  appearance,  dead.  So  faith  is  shown 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


71 


to  exist  only  by  those  special  “works”  which  spring 
from  a  true  faith  in  the  living  God. 

Teachers  and  the  Tongue  (3:1-12) 

Chapter  3  begins  with  an  admonition  which  at  first 
glance  appears  a  strange  one:  “My  brethren,  be  not 
many  masters  (teachers),  knowing  that  we  shall  re¬ 
ceive  the  greater  judgment.”  (The  word  is  judgment 
— not  condemnation  as  in  Rom.  8  :2 ;  for  there  is  no 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.) 

This  verse  brings  us  to  a  very  important  matter, 
namely,  to  what  ‘  ‘  the  faith  of  our  Lord  J esus  Christ  ’  ’ 
teaches  concerning  the  use  of  the  tongue.  For  James 
is  not,  as  might  at  first  appear,  taking  up  here  a  new 
subject,  but  is  in  reality  continuing  the  same  line  of 
teaching  as  in  the  preceding  chapter.  This  appears 
in  that  he  now  rebukes  an  evil  which  had  grown  nat¬ 
urally  out  of  that  view  of  the  law  which  had  long  pre¬ 
vailed  among  the  Jews.  For  they  had  come  to  re¬ 
gard  the  mere  having  of  the  law  as  a  ground  for  boast¬ 
ing.  They  “rested”  in  it  with  proud  satisfaction 
(Rom.  2:17).  They  were,  however,  indifferent  as  to 
obeying  it,  deeming  it  quite  enough  to  know  it  in  the 
letter,  and  to  hold  discourses  about  it  (Rom.  2  :19-23). 
Such  ideas  would  inevitably  lead  many  to  assume  the 
role  of  “teachers,”  deeming  themselves  to  be  guides 
of  the  blind  (though  in  reality  but  “blind  leaders  of 
the  blind”),  lights  to  them  which  are  in  darkness,  in¬ 
structors  of  the  foolish,  and  teachers  of  babes.  To 
such  Paul  also  refers  in  1  Timothy  1 :6,  7,  as  having 
turned  aside  unto  vain  jangling,  desiring  to  be  teach¬ 
ers  of  law,  but  in  reality  understanding  neither  what 
they  say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm.  And  this  is  not  a 
reflection  on  the  law,  for  he  hastens  to  add:  “But  we 


72 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


know  that  the  law  is  good  if  a  man  use  it  lawfully.” 

As  a  check  to  this  tendency  James  now  brings  to 
mind  the  fact  that  those  who  assume  to  instruct  others 
regarding  their  behavior,  incur  for  themselves  a  great¬ 
er  responsibility,  and  will  be  held  to  a  more  strict  ac¬ 
count. 

This  lesson  is  greatly  needed  in  our  day,  wherein  a 
superficial  acquaintance  with  the  letter  of  Scripture, 
when  combined  with  ability  to  give  addresses  on  Bible- 
themes,  is  supposed  to  make  one  a  “teacher.”  It  is 
all  but  forgotten  that  “teaching”  means  to  apply  the 
Words  and  Commandments  of  the  Lord  to  the  hearts 
and  consciences  of  His  people,  in  such  manner  as  to 
cause  them  continually  to  examine  and  amend  their 
ways,  and  to  shape  their  daily  lives  and  conduct  in 
conformity  with  the  revealed  will  of  God.  It  is  much 
to  be  feared  that  many  of  our  “teachers”  never  in 
reality  teach  at  all;  and  that  many  of  God’s  people 
rarely,  if  ever,  have  the  benefit  of  any  real  “teach- 
mg. 

Very  often  the  people  of  God,  instead  of  receiving 
teaching  concerning  the  will  of  God  and  the  man¬ 
ner  of  life  which  should  characterize  His  people,  have 
to  listen  to  addresses  on  Bible  topics,  discussions  of 
dispensational  theories,  and  the  like.  The  homely, 
practical  commandments  of  the  Lord  and  His  apos¬ 
tles,  which  are  addressed  to  old  and  young,  to  men 
and  women,  to  husbands  and  wives,  to  parents  and 
children,  to  masters  and  servants,  receive  scant  at¬ 
tention,  or  none  at  all. 

Human  infirmity  is  such  that  those  who  take  upon 
themselves  to  teach  others  how  they  ought  to  walk 
and  please  God  are  very  liable  to  offend  (i.  e. — stum¬ 
ble).  Indeed  James  says,  “We  all  often  stumble.” 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


73 


(This  is  the  correct  reading  of  verse  2.)  And  partic¬ 
ularly  those  who  undertake  to  teach  are  liable  to 
“stumble  in  word”;  insomuch  that  James  says,  “if 
any  man  stumble  not  in  word,  the  same  is  a  perfect 
man,  and  is  able  to  bridle  the  whole  body”  (v.  3). 

Thus  we  are  led  into  a  subject  of  vast  importance — 
that  of  the  tongue.  We  are  prone  to  forget  that  the 
activities  of  that  little  member  are  as  much  actions 
(for  which  we  must  give  account)  as  are  the  things 
done  with  the  hands ;  and  that  the  former  is  as  much 
a  member  of  the  body  as  the  latter.  But  the  Lord 
has  said  that  out  of  the  abundance  of  heart  (what  the 
heart  is  full  of)  the  mouth  speaketh;  and  that  “every 
idle  word  that  men  speak  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment”  (Matt.  12:34-37). 
The  Lord  has  spoken  it,  and  it  surely  will  come  to 
pass.  Hence,  when  Paul  says  that  we  shall  all  be 
manifested  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  that 
every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body, 
according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or 
bad,  we  are  to  understand  that  “the  things  done  in 
the  body”  include  all  the  words  we  have  spoken  (2 
Cor.  5:10). 

A  World  of  Iniquity 

In  fact  the  tongue,  though  “a  little  member”  (v. 
5),  is  far  the  most  active  of  all,  and  hence  capable  of 
doing  the  greatest  amount  of  good  or  evil;  and  since 
man  is  a  fallen  creature,  whose  purposes  and  aims  are 
all  opposed  to  the  will  of  God,  the  tongue  (which  here 
stands  for  the  power  of  utterance  of  either  spoken  or 
written  words)  has  been  one  of  the  greatest  of  all 
agencies  for  the  working  of  iniquity.  James  calls  it 
“fire,  a  world  of  iniquity.” 


74 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


For  not  only  is  the  tongue  able,  by  means  of  harsh 
words,  or  foul  words,  or  lying  words,  or  blasphemous 
words,  to  inflict  direct  injury  upon  others,  but  the 
words  of  one  man  may  have  the  effect  of  setting  thou¬ 
sands  of  other  men  into  action ;  or  may  implant  ideas 
in  their  minds,  or  awaken  feelings  in  their  hearts, 
which  will  lead  to  far-reaching  consequences. 

One  of  the  most  striking  developments  of  the  past 
fifty  years  is  the  amazing  increase  of  agencies  for  mul¬ 
tiplying  and  communicating  words.  These  include 
the  rotary  power-printing  press,  whereby  a  whole  for¬ 
est  of  trees  can  be  used  up  in  one  Sunday  edition  of  a 
metropolitan  newspaper,*  the  various  writing  ma¬ 
chines,  multigraphing  machines ;  talking  machines ; 
photo-engraving  processes;  type-setting  machines; 
telegraphs  and  telephones ;  in  addition  to  a  highly  de¬ 
veloped  international  postal  service ;  and  latest  of  all, 
the  “ radio”  whereby  the  marvellous  agency  of  high 
electrical  vibrations  is  utilized,  on  the  recently  per¬ 
fected  principles  of  wireless  telegraphy,  to  bring  from 
many  broadcasting  stations,  speeches,  music,  and 
other  sounds,  into  the  homes  of  the  people.  How  few 
give  any  thought  to  the  fact  that  all  these  facilities  for 
multiplying  words  serve  to  increase  enormously  the 
sins  for  which  men  must  answer!  Or  to  the  fact 
that  these  word-multiplying  and  word- distributing 
agencies  are  contributing  powerfully  toward  bringing 
human  civilization  to  its  final  climax !  But  thus  the 
tongue,  besides  being  itself  the  most  active  of  all  the 
members,  has  such  instrumentalities  at  its  command 
that  it  can  reach  out  and  function,  so  to  speak,  in¬ 
stantly  at  the  very  ends  of  the  earth.  How  true  then 
that  the  “little  member  boasteth  great  things!” 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


75 


James  gives  several  simple  but  striking  illustrations 
of  the  power  that  often  resides  in  some  small  thing 
to  accomplish  great  results.  He  likens  the  tongue,  in 
this  respect,  to  the  bit,  which,  though  small  in  size, 
is  effective  to  control  so  strong  a  creature  as  a  horse, 
and  also  to  a  rudder  which,  though  likewise  of  small 
size,  serves  to  guide  the  great  vessel  at  the  will  of 
the  steersman,  even  when  driven  by  fierce  winds.  But 
he  passes  on  to  a  stronger  figure  of  speech,  likening 
the  tongue  to  a  fire! 

With  the  foregoing  facts  in  view  James  exclaims, 
“Behold,  how  great  a  matter  (lit.  how  great  a  wood) 
a  little  fire  kindleth !  And  the  tongue  is  fire,  a  world 
of  iniquity.  Thus  the  tongue  is  set  among  our  mem¬ 
bers,  so  that  it  defileth  the  whole  body,  and  setteth  on 
fire  the  course  of  nature,  and  is  set  on  fire  of  hell” 
(vv.  5,  6). 

The  first  thought  here  expressed  is  that  as  a  very 
small  fire  can  kindle  a  great  forest  into  flame,  so  the 
little  member  may  be  the  cause  of  a  great  conflagra¬ 
tion.  Fire  communicates  itself,  and  so  spreads  far 
and  wide  where  there  is  material  upon  which  it  can 
act ;  and  precisely  so  with  the  tongue.  Its  scope  is  so 
wide  that  James  calls  it  a  world  of  iniquity.  Being 
set  among  the  other  members  it  is  the  defiler  of  the 
whole  body;  for  it  has  the  heart,  that  sink  of  corrup¬ 
tion,  to  draw  from,  and  needs  not  to  seek  its  defiling 
material  from  without.  It  sets  on  fire  the  very  course 
of  nature — for  the  incendiary  ideas  now  spreading  in 
every  direction  are  communicated  by  means  of  words. 
The  word  rendered  ‘  ‘  course  ’  ’  is  literally  the  ‘  ‘  wheel  ’  ’ 
or  “circuit”  of  nature,  embracing  the  entire  ambit 
of  human  affairs.  And  finally,  the  tongue  itself  is 
set  on  fire  of  hell.  For  the  tongue  of  man,  in  all  its 


76 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


diversified  activities,  is  actuated  not  from  above,  but 
from  beneath. 

Thus  the  passage  we  are  considering  gives  a  clear 
indication  that  it  is  through  the  tongue,  that  is, 
through  human  speech  and  language,  that  the  coun¬ 
sels  of  hell  for  the  destruction  of  mankind  will  be 
carried  out.  It  is  well  known  that  the  propaganda 
of  Bolshevism  and  other  hell-born  doctrines  of  de¬ 
struction  are  at  this  very  time  being  carried  on  in  our 
midst.  But  no  one  knows  how  to  avert  the  danger. 
“ Little  children,  it  is  the  last  hour.” 

The  Uncontrollable  Member 

Another  characteristic  of  the  tongue  of  man  is  now 
referred  to,  namely,  the  impossibility  of  subduing  or 
taming  it.  This  characteristic  is  emphasized  by  the 
fact  that  every  species,  both  of  beast  and  bird,  and 
even  serpents  and  creatures  that  live  in  the  sea,  have 
been  tamed  and  brought  into  subjection  by  men;  but 
his  own  tongue,  can  no  man  subdue  and  control 
(3:7).  For  it  is  an  unruly  evil,  not  to  be  restrained 
by  human  power  alone.  There  is  peculiar  force  in 
this  verse  if  we  take  the  words  in  the  order  in  which 
they  are  found  in  the  original  text,  which  would  yield 
this  sense :  ‘  ‘  But  the  tongue  no  one  is  able  of  men  to 
subdue”;  that  is  to  say,  no  man  unaided  can  do  it. 
This  leaves  room  for  the  inference  that,  by  the  Spir¬ 
it’s  power,  it  can  be  done. 

The  tongue  is  full  of  poison,  bringing  death.  With 
the  same  member  bless  we  God,  even  the  Father,  and 
curse  we  men,  which  are  made  after  the  likeness  of 
God.  Out  of  the  same  mouth  proceedeth  blessing  and 
cursing  (vv.  9,  10). 

We  take  it  that  the  last  statement  is  intended  mere- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


77 


ly  to  set  forth  in  a  striking  way  the  extreme  possibili¬ 
ties,  for  good  and  evil,  whereof  the  tongue  (consid¬ 
ered  abstractly)  is  capable. 

How  contrary  this  is  to  the  mind  of  God,  and  to 
the  purposes  for  which  He  endowed  mankind  with 
the  marvellous  faculty  of  speech,  is  now  illustrated 
by  the  questions,  “Doth  a  fountain  send  forth  at  the 
same  place  sweet  water  and  bitter?  Can  the  fig-tree 
bear  olive-berries?  Or  the  vine  figs?”  (vv.  11,  12). 
What  awful  corruption  then  has  sin  wrought  in  man 
that  one  of  his  most  godlike  faculties  should  be  thus 
perverted  from  its  intended  uses !  It  is  as  great  an 
anomaly  as  if  a  fountain  should  yield  both  salt  water 
and  sweet. 

Marvellous  indeed  is  the  power  given  to  mankind  of 
communicating  with  one  another  by  means  of  words. 
All  human  affairs  depend  upon  it,  and  human  insti¬ 
tutions  would  fall  into  ruins  were  that  power  taken 
away  from  men.  And  because  it  is  a  faculty  so  won¬ 
derful,  it  is  capable  of  infinite  mischief  when  wrong¬ 
ly  used.  Its  highest  use  is  in  proclaiming  the  gospel 
of  God  and  making  Christ  known.  The  spread  of  the 
gospel,  and  hence  the  salvation  of  men,  and  the  ac¬ 
complishment  of  all  the  purposes  of  God,  depend 
wholly  upon  the  use  of  words — words  whereby  perish¬ 
ing  sinners  may  be  saved.  Hence  the  sacredness  of 
language,  and  the  importance  of  using  it  aright ;  and 
hence  the  reason  why,  for  every  word  spoken  amiss, 
men  will  be  brought  to  account. 


CHAPTER  VII 


Wisdom  From  Above 

This  brings  us  to  a  passage  of  singular  beauty  and 
power,  in  which  our  teacher  puts  before  us  the  quali¬ 
ties  of  that  Wisdom  which  is  from  above,  and  which 
has  visited  this  world  in  the  Person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
Who  is  “the  Wisdom  of  God. ”  The  passage  is 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  Paul’s  description  of 
Love  in  1  Corinthians  13. 

From  the  particular  subject  of  the  use  of  the 
tongue  it  was  easy  to  pass  to  that  of  “good  conversa¬ 
tion”  (i.  e.,  behaviour)  in  general.  So  James  is 
prompted  at  this  point  to  ask,  “Who  is  a  wise  man, 
and  endued  with  knowledge  among  you?  Let  him 
show  out  of  a  good  conversation  his  works  with  meek¬ 
ness  of  wisdom”  (3:13). 

The  word  “conversation”  has  now  no  longer  the 
meaning  it  had  when  the  Bible  was  translated  into 
English,  three  centuries  ago.  It  then  meant  one’s 
course  of  conduct,  behaviour,  or  manner  of  life.  So 
we  must  give  it  that  meaning  here  and  elsewhere,  as 
in  Eph.  2:3;  Phil.  1:27;  Heb.  13  :5 ;  1  Pet.  1:15;  3:1, 
2,  etc. 

We  note  here  again  that  James  characteristically 
demands  that  wisdom  be  shown,  and  that  it  be  shown 
not  hy  learned  talk,  but  by  such  a  manner  of  life  as 
true  wisdom  dictates.  This  again  is  directly  in  con¬ 
trast  with  the  ideas  prevailing  among  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  at  that  time — and,  we  might  add,  until  now, 
For  those  who  are  reputed  “wise”  are  either  men  of 
scholarly  attainments,  well  versed  in  the  lore  of  the 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


79 


ancients,  and  capable  of  discussing  speculative  themes 
in  a  manner  beyond  the  comprehension  of  common 
folk;  or  else  they  are  the  clever  men  who  know  how 
to  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  for  adding  to 
their  wealth,  or  for  bettering  their  position  in  this 
world.  But  to  what  end  does  this  wisdom  conduct 
those  who  possess  and  are  guided  by  it?  To  certain, 
complete  and  eternal  loss  and  disaster.  For  ‘  ‘  Where  is 
the  wise  man?  Where  is  the  scribe?  Where  is  the 
disputer  of  this  world  ?  ’  ’ — the  man  who  disputes  even 
the  Word  of  God  (1  Cor.  1:20)?  Where  is  he  and 
what  becomes  of  his  wisdom  in  the  day  of  reckoning? 
See  him  put  to  eternal  shame,  and  his  boasted  wis¬ 
dom,  which  brought  him  flattery,  distinction  and 
wealth  “in  this  age,”  made  a  thing  of  everlasting  con¬ 
tempt!  For  “the  wise  men  are  put  to  shame,  they 
are  dismayed  and  taken :  lo,  they  have  rejected  the 
word  of  the  Lord ;  and  what  wisdom  is  in  them?” 
(Jer.  8:9). 

“The  fear  of  the  Lord,”  which  leads  a  man  to  pay 
heed  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  is  the  very  “beginning 
of  (true)  wisdom”  (Prov.  9:10)  ;  and  the  rejection  of 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  is  therefore  the  height  of  all 
folly.  ! 

But  J ames  calls  upon  us  not  only  to  possess  the  true 
wisdom  (by  asking  for  it  in  faith  of  God  Who  gives 
liberally),  but  also  to  show  that  we  truly  have  it.  This 
is  in  accordance  with  his  previous  demand  that  we 
show  our  faith  by  the  appropriate  works  of  faith. 
This  lesson  should  lead  us  then  first  to  seek,  by  earnest 
and  believing  prayer,  for  that  wisdom  which  comes 
only  from  above,  and  as  a  “good  and  perfect  gift” 
from  “the  Father  of  lights”;  and  second  to  study 
very  carefully  the  nature  of  this  wisdom,  and  the 


80 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


“works”  whereby  it  is  manifested.  The  passage  now 
before  us  furnishes  precious  materials  for  the  pur¬ 
poses  of  such  a  study.  Let  us  turn  to  it  with  the  sin¬ 
cere  desire  for  reality  in  our  lives. 

The  first  quality  of  heavenly  wisdom  which  is  sin¬ 
gled  out  for  notice  is  its  meekness — a  quality  whereof 
no  man  has  the  least  trace  by  nature.  Meekness  is  not 
a  trait  of  character  which  advances  a  man  in  this 
world  and  helps  him  to  gain  its  prizes.  These  are 
won  by  the  forceful  and  aggressive.  So  here  is  a 
very  marked  contrast  between  the  wisdom  that  is 
from  above  and  the  wisdom  of  the  natural  man. 

The  Lord’s  words  also  put  meekness  in  the  fore¬ 
ground  of  the  things  to  be  learned  of  Him;  for  He 
says  “Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart”  (Matt.  11:29). 

Meekness  accepts  without  anger  or  protest  all  in¬ 
justice  and  unkindness,  all  slights  and  indignities;  is 
never  affronted;  never  complains  of  ill  treatment,  or 
fancies  itself  overlooked  or  aggrieved.  In  order  to 
help  us  understand  what  is  meant  by  “meekness  of 
wisdom”  reference  is  made  to  the  opposite.  “But  if 
ye  have  bitter  envying  and  strife  in  your  heart,  glory 
not  and  lie  not  against  the  truth.”  (The  word 
“against”  should  be  repeated,  making  the  last  clause 
read  “boast  not  against ,  and  lie  not  against,  the 
truth. ’  7 ) 

The  presence  of  envying  and  strife  in  a  man’s 
heart  is  an  evidence  that  he  is  not  acting  in  the  wis¬ 
dom  that  God  bestows,  but  in  that  which  is  from  an¬ 
other  source.  Such  an  one  is  warned  that  he  should 
not  (by  assuming  to  have  the  gift  of  heavenly  wis¬ 
dom)  boast  himself  against  the  truth,  or  lie  against  it. 

Likewise  Paul’s  first  practical  lesson,  to  those  to 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


81 


whom  he  had  imparted  the  knowledge  of  their  posi¬ 
tion  in  Christ  Jesus  in  the  heavenly  places,  was  that 
they  should  walk  worthy  of  their  vocation  “in  all 
lowliness  and  meekness”  (Eph.  4:1,  2). 

Proceeding  now  to  speak  of  the  wisdom  of  the  nat¬ 
ural  man  which  is  compatible  with  envying  and  strife 
in  the  heart,  James  says:  “This  wisdom  descendeth 
not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish ” 
(v.  15). 

One  who  has  the  meekness  of  true  wisdom  will  not 
envy  another,  for  where  the  wisdom  that  is  from 
above  presides  in  the  heart,  there  will  be  no  “bitter 
envying  and  strife.  ’  ’  Envy  arouses  bitterness  within, 
and  causes  strife  without.  “Envy  is  rottenness  of  the 
bones”  (Prov.  14:13).  It  is  one  of  the  very  worst 
traits  of  corrupt  human  nature.  It  moved  the  breth¬ 
ren  of  Joseph  to  sell  him  into  Egypt  (Acts  7  :9),  and 
the  leaders  of  the  Jews  to  deliver  Christ  to  Pilate 
(Matt.  27:8).  It  is  one  of  the  most  hateful  results 
of  sin.  When  we  find  ourselves  envying  another  the 
possession  and  enjoyment  of  anything  whatever,  let 
us  seek  grace  to  overcome,  until  we  can  even  take 
pleasure  in  his  having  it. 

The  wisdom  which  goes  along  with  envy  and  strife 
has  three  characteristics  that  are  here  named. 

First,  it  is  “earthly” ;  for  the  wisdom  that  is  from 
above  has  no  trace  of  envy,  and  takes  no  part  in  strife, 
but  is  “peaceable”  (see  v.  17). 

Second,  it  is  “sensual.”  This  is  a  word  derived 
from  soul,  for  which  there  is  no  exact  equivalent  in 
English.  It  is  used  in  Scripture  in  contrast  with 
spiritual.  It  might  be  rendered  psychical,  or  soulical. 
Thus  in  1  Cor.  2 :14,  15,  we  read  of  the  “natural  man” 
(man  of  soul)  and  the  “spiritual  man”  (man  of  spir- 


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JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


it).  The  same  contrast  runs  through  verses  44-46  of 
1  Cor.  15:  “It  is  sown  a  natural  body  (a  body  suited 
to  man  who  lives  for  the  pleasure  of  the  soul),  it  is 
raised  a  spiritual  body,”  etc.  “And  so  it  is  written. 
The  first  man  Adam  was  made  a  living  soul;  the  last 
Adam  a  Quickening  Spirit.” 

This  distinction  betwen  soul  and  spirit  must  be 
noted  if  we  would  understand  certain  passages  of 
Scripture ;  but,  as  already  stated,  it  is  generally  over¬ 
looked  at  the  present  day. 

Third,  the  wisdom  that  is  here  spoken  of — that  of 
the  natural  man — is  “devilish,”  or  more  properly  de¬ 
moniacal.  There  is  but  one  Devil,  but  many  demons, 
or  evil  spirits ;  and  as  the  word  in  2  :19  should  be  de¬ 
mons,  not  devils,  so  here  it  is  demoniacal,  not  devilish. 
It  is  the  worst  thing  that  is  said  of  the  wisdom  of  man 
that  it  has  the  same  character  as  that  of  demons.  It 
is  to  be  expected  that  between  fallen  spirits  and  fallen 
men  there  would  be  many  things  in  common ;  and  so 
it  is.  For  that  reason  the  fallen  spirits  seek  to  occu¬ 
py  the  bodies  of  human  beings.  Wisdom  in  fallen  be¬ 
ings  busies  itself  with  waj7s  and  means  for  securing 
satisfaction  apart  from  God.  But  since  the  pursuit  of 
satisfaction  apart  from  God  brings  those  who  are  thus 
occupied  into  collision  with  others,  they  are  continual¬ 
ly  in  a  state  of  envy  and  strife,  and  this  gives  birth  to 
every  evil  work. 

Speaking  of  envy,  Wm.  Law  says : 

“When  at  any  time  you  find  in  your  heart  motions 
of  envy  towards  any  person,  whether  on  account  of 
his  riches,  power,  learning,  reputation,  or  advance¬ 
ment,  if  you  should  immediately  betake  yourself  at 
that  time  to  your  prayers,  and  pray  to  God  to  bless 
and  prosper  him  in  that  very  thing  which  raised  your 
envy;  if  you  should  express  and  repeat  your  petitions 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


83 


in  the  strongest  terms,  beseeching  God  to  grant  him 
all  the  happiness  from  it  that  can  possibly  be  re¬ 
ceived,  yon  would  soon  find  it  to  be  the  best  antidote 
in  the  world  to  expel  the  venom  of  that  poisonous 
passion.” 

We  come  now  to  the  passage  already  referred  to, 
in  which  we  cannot  fail  to  recognize  a  description  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  Christ  Himself,  Who  is  “the  Wis¬ 
dom  of  God”  as  well  as  “the  Power  of  God,”  and 
“Who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  Wisdom”  (1  Cor.  1 :24, 
30).  This  is  the  passage : 

“ But  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure, 
then  peacable,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full 
of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  with¬ 
out  hypocrisy.” 

This  divine  and  heavenly  wisdom  is  first  of  all  (like 
everything  that  comes  from  heaven)  pure.  There  is 
a  word  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  New  Testament 
and  which  is  rendered  pure,  or  clean,  or  purged.  But 
that  word  signifies  ordinarily  a  thing  which  has  been 
made  pure,  or  cleansed,  or  purged.  It  is  the  word  that 
is  used  in  passages  which  contain  such  expressions  as 
“with  a  pure  conscience,”  “out  of  a  pure  heart,” 
“pure  religion,”  “purifying  their  hearts  by  faith,” 
etc.  (1  Tim.  1:5;  3:9;  Jas.  1:27;  Acts  15:9). 

But  another  word  is  used  here,  a  word  derived 
from  that  which  means  “holy.”  It  is  applied  to 
Christ  in  1  John  3  :3 — “even  as  He  is  pure.”  Hence 
it  is  more  properly  applied  to  that  which  is  innately 
pure.  It  could  apply  only  to  one  who  had  no  need 
of  purification. 

The  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  “pure”  also  in 
the  sense  that  it  is  quite  unmixed  with,  and  unde¬ 
filed  by,  earthly  elements.  It  is  like  the  light,  which 


84 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


touches  the  vilest  things,  yet  remains  itself  unsullied. 
Thus  it  was  with  our  Blessed  Lord  in  His  contact 
with  the  defiled  things  of  earth.  He  could  touch  the 
leper,  or  the  dead  man ’s  bier,  or  take  the  dead  girl  by 
the  hand,  and  not  be  defiled  Himself.  He  was  not 
only  “holy”  and  “harmless,”  but  also  “undefiled” 
(Heb.  7:26). 

Furthermore,  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above  has  no 
ends  of  its  own  to  gain.  It  is  “pure”  from  all  selfish 
purposes,  seeking  only  the  glory  of  God. 

This  wisdom  is  “then  peaceable Thus  in  con¬ 
trast  with  envying  it  is  pure ;  and  in  contrast  with 
strife  it  is  peaceable.  Its  very  business  is  to  bid  the 
winds  of  discord  cease,  the  waves  of  strife  be  still ;  to 
reconcile  the  enemies  of  God,  and  to  pacify  the  war¬ 
ring  elements  of  the  world.  Having  no  interests  of 
self  to  gain,  it  provokes  only  “to  love  and  to  good 
works.”  When  Jesus  was  born  the  messengers  from 
heaven  announced  “peace  on  earth”;  and  when  He 
departed  from  His  disciples  He  said,  “Peace  I  leave 
with  you.  ’  ’  Moreover  ‘  ‘  He  is  our  peace  ’  ’ ;  for  He  rec¬ 
onciled  us  unto  God  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the 
enmity  thereby  (Eph.  2:14,  16);  and  through  Him, 
being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God 
(Rom.  5  :1) . 

This  wisdom  is  next  described  as  gentle  and  easy  to 
be  entreated.  Heavenly  wisdom  uses  no  violence; 
and  needs  none  to  attain  its  ends.  Every  purpose 
that  it  seeks  is  attained  through  gentleness.  Paul 
beseeches  us  “by  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of 
Christ.”  “The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  .  .  gentleness .” 

It  is  easy  to  be  entreated ;  for  it  is  always  ready  to 
respond  to  every  cry  of  need  or  request  for  help.  If 
it  were  but  the  servant  of  a  despised  Gentile  for  whom 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


85 


the  Lord’s  help  was  sought,  His  immediate  response 
was,  “I  will  come  and  heal  him”  (Mat.  8:7). 

This  wisdom,  moreover,  is  full  of  mercy  and  good 
fruits.  Mercy  is  one  of  the  most  divine  of  divine 
things ;  and  Christ  is  full  of  it,  and  of  all  good  fruits. 
How  well  suited  is  He  to  the  needs  of  a  world  like 
this! 

Furthermore,  it  is  without  partiality  and  without 
hypocrisy.  We  have  seen  the  importance  given  in 
this  Epistle  to  the  common  evil  of  showing  respect  of 
persons.  One  who  is  actuated  by  heavenly  wisdom 
shows  no  preferences.  He  is  as  ready  to  serve  the 
poor  and  lowly  as  the  rich  and  great.  It  made  no  dif¬ 
ference  to  the  Lord  what  was  the  social  position  of 
one  who  sought  His  help.  If  on  the  way  to  heal  the 
daughter  of  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  He  could  stop 
to  deal  with  the  case  of  a  poor  nameless  woman  in  the 
crowd. 

It  is  also  “without  hypocrisy.”  It  has  nothing  to 
conceal,  and  hence  is  perfectly  transparent.  But  not 
so  with  earthly  or  natural  wisdom,  which,  for  the  at¬ 
tainment  of  its  ends,  relies  much  upon  concealment, 
astuteness,  cunning  and  craftiness,  masking  its  aims, 
and  resorting  to  every  device  to  baffle  those  whose  in¬ 
terests  are  opposed. 

This  brings  us  to  the  last  verse  of  the  chapter 
(James  3)  which  reads:  “And  the  fruit  of  righteous¬ 
ness  is  sown  in  peace  of  them  that  make  peace,f 
(v.  18). 

Thus  the  final  emphasis  of  the  passage  is  laid  upon 
peace,  and  peace-making.  As  we  have  already  said, 
our  Lord’s  work  was,  in  a  very  special  sense,  the  mak¬ 
ing  of  peace,  or,  to  use  the  familiar  Bible  word,  the 
making  of  reconciliation.  But  “peace”  in  the  Bible 


86 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


sense  means  far  more  than  merely  a  period  of  relative 
tranquility,  a  season  of  cessation  of  war.  It  means  a 
condition  of  happiness  and  prosperity,  a  condition  of 
the  enjoyment  of  every  blessing  and  every  pleasure 
which  makes  for  the  welfare  of  the  individual  and  of 
society.  And  inasmuch  as  man’s  peace  with  God  was 
broken  by  sin,  and  all  the  countless  miseries  of  man 
resulted  therefrom,  the  making  of  “peace,”  in  the 
fullest  sense,  means  nothing  less  than  the  complete 
abolition  of  sin,  and  of  all  its  consequences. 

Not  only  was  the  work  of  Christ  one  of  making 
peace,  or  of  reconciliation,  but  the  work  also  which 
He  has  committed  to  His  servants  is  largely  a  “min¬ 
istry  of  reconciliation”  (2  Cor.  5:18-21).  This  min¬ 
istry  is  to  be  performed  by  preaching  the  gospel  and 
teaching  the  commandments  of  Christ  (Mat.  28 :19, 
20;  Acts  28:31).  For  the  wisdom  of  God,  as  embod¬ 
ied  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ  broadly,  and  specially  in 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  abolishes  all  envying, 
strife  and  antagonisms,  just  so  far  as  men  submit 
themselves  to  it. 

But  their  submission  must  be  rendered  voluntarily ; 
for  inasmuch  as  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  characterized 
in  this  present  dispensation  by  grace,  God  does  not 
compel  any  to  keep  His  commandments,  nor  does  He 
enforce  them  by  present  pains  and  penalties. 

By  “the  fruit  of  righteousness”  we  understand 
that  which  results  from,  and  is  the  product  of,  the 
true  righteousness  of  God,  imparted  through  the  gos¬ 
pel  to  repentant  and  believing  sinners;  for  the  first 
fruit  of  righteousness  mentioned  by  Paul  is  peace ,  as 
it  is  written,  “Being  justified  by  faith  we  have  peace 
with  God”  (Rom.  5:1).  This  too  is  that  characteris¬ 
tic  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  which  is  mentioned  next 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


87 


after  righteousness,  for  that  Kingdom  is  declared  to 
be  “righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost”  (Rom.  14:17). 

To  the  same  effect  Isaiah  prophesied,  saying:  “Be¬ 
hold,  a  King  shall  reign  in  righteousness,  and  princes 
shall  rule  in  judgment”  (Isa.  32:1).  And  he  goes  on 
to  tell  what  should  be  “until  the  Spirit  be  poured 
upon  us  from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a  fruit¬ 
ful  field,  and  the  fruitful  field  be  counted  for  a  for¬ 
est.  Then  judgment  shall  dwell  in  the  wilderness, 
and  righteousness  in  the  fruitful  field.  And  the  work 
of  righteousness  shall  be  peace,  and  the  effect  of  right¬ 
eousness  quietness  and  assurance  forever”  (vv.  15- 
17).  Such  is  the  Kingdom  of  God,  which  began  with 
the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high,  and  which 
is  defined  by  Paul  as  “righteousness,  and  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.” 

The  words  “of  them  that  make  peace”  are  capable 
of  being  read  “/or  them  that  make  peace,”  and  this 
we  take  to  be  the  correct  reading.  For  our  Lord  said, 
“Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,”  and  it  is  in  keeping 
with  His  promise  to  expect  that  they  will  be 
“blessed”  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  “the  fruit  of 
righteousness.  ’  ’ 

Solomon  also  says  that  “to  him  that  soweth  right¬ 
eousness  shall  be  a  sure  reward ”  (Prov.  11:18)  ;  and 
Hosea  (who  has  much  to  say  about  the  harvest  of 
God)  exhorts  the  people  in  these  stirring  words: 
“Sow  to  (or  for)  yourselves  in  righteousness,  reap 
in  mercy ;  break  up  your  fallow  ground :  for  it  is  time 
to  seek  the  Lord,  till  He  come  and  rain  righteousness 
upon  you”  (Hos.  10:12). 

Now  is  the  seed  time.  But  it  passes  quickly.  Soon 
the  harvest-time  will  be  upon  us;  and  what  will  the 


88 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


harvest  be?  Solemn  question  this  in  view  of  the 
sure  word  of  God  that  “whatsoever  a  man  soweth 
that  shall  he  also  reap  ’  ’  ( Gal.  6 :7 ) .  This  is  the 
ground  of  the  last  and  the  strongest  appeal  which  the 
Scripture  makes  for  reality  in  our  lives  and  conduct. 
For  our  actions  are  as  seeds,  which  are  cast  into  the 
ground,  and  utterly  lost  sight  of — perhaps  forgotten. 
But  they  will  spring  up  and  yield  their  appropriate 
“fruit’’  in  the  harvest  season.  Let  us  then  sow  to  the 
Spirit,  and  sow  in  righteousness ;  ‘  ‘  and  let  us  not  be 
weary  in  ivell  doing ;  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap 
if  we  faint  not”  (Gal.  6:8,  9). 


CHAPTER  VIII 


Wars  and  Fightings.  Friendship  with  the  World. 

Conflict  with  the  Devil.  Evil  Speaking. 

The  Uncertainty  of  Life 

From  the  topic  of  righteousness  and  peace,  with 
which  the  third  chapter  of  James  closes,  our  teacher 
turns,  at  the  beginning  of  chapter  4,  to  wars  and 
fightings,  asking,  ‘  ‘  From  whence  come  wars  and  fight¬ 
ings  among  you  ?  ’  ’  Thus  we  have  another  instructive 
contrast;  and  it  is  doubtless  for  the  sake  of  that  con¬ 
trast  that  the  subject  of  wars  and  fightings  is  taken 
up  at  this  point,  though  there  is  also  a  connection  be¬ 
tween  this  subject  and  that  of  envying  and  strife  in 
chapter  3,  verse  16. 

This  turn  of  thought  leads  James  to  refer  to  kin¬ 
dred  evils  also.  Wars  and  fightings  he  traces  to  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh.  So,  by  a  natural  association  of 
ideas,  he  speaks  next  of  friendship  with  the  world 
(v.  4),  and  then  of  conflict  with  the  Devil  (v.  7). 
Thus  our  three  great  enemies  are  brought  before  us 
in  turn — the  flesh,  the  world,  and  the  Devil. 

James’  purpose  apparently  is  to  show  that  striv¬ 
ings  and  contentions  of  all  sorts,  whether  physical  or 
moral,  proceed  from  lusts  or  desires  which  spring  up 
in  the  heart.  Thus  our  attention  is  again  called  from 
the  outward  manifestations  to  the  inward  cause. 

The  teaching  of  Judaism,  as  of  all  other  systems  of 
religion,  concerned  itself  only  with  what  is  outward. 
From  all  these  systems  the  doctrine  of  Christ  differs 
in  that,  while  not  disregarding  that  which  is  outward, 
it  insists  upon  the  correction  first  of  all  of  that  which 


90 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


is  within,  and  requires  that  the  outward  conduct 
should  be  the  fruit  of  a  renewed  mind  and  a  purged 
heart.  Our  Lord  stated  it  thus:  ‘‘Cleanse  first  that 
which  is  within  the  cup  and  platter,  that  the  outside 
of  them  may  be  clean  also”  (Matt.  23:26). 

Paul,  in  the  7th  of  Romans,  vividly  pictures  a  con¬ 
tinued  struggle  within  a  man,  having  previously 
shown  that  the  essence  and  hidden  sources  of  sinful 
acts  are  the  lustings  or  covetings  of  the  heart  (Rom. 
7:7).  It  matters  not  whether  we  regard  the  struggles 
which  Paul  there  describes  as  being  those  of  a  con¬ 
verted  man,  or  those  of  an  unconverted  man.  In 
either  case  it  is  the  struggle  of  a  law  in  one ’s  members 
warring  against  the  law  of  the  mind  (v.  23). 

Again,  in  Galatians  5  :17,  Paul  pictures  a  similar 
struggle,  which  in  this  case  is  a  war  between  the 
“flesh,”  or  old  nature  in  the  believer,  and  the  Spirit. 
This  is  more  nearly  parallel  to  the  passage  in  James 
4,  as  will  be  seen  upon  noticing  the  words  in  verse  5, 
“The  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  lusteth  to  envy.” 
Deferring  for  the  present  our  comments  on  this  verse, 
we  would  only  remark  that  we  follow  the  Revised 
Version  in  spelling  “Spirit”'  with  a  capital  letter, 
being  convinced  that  it  refers  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

For  the  reasons  already  indicated  we  take  it  that 
James  is  not  speaking  specifically  of  physical  wars 
and  fightings  (though  these  would  be  included  as 
springing  from  the  same  cause),  but  of  conflicts  in 
general;  and  particularly  of  struggles  and  conflicts 
such  as  occur  in  a  man  himself.  In  this  connection  we 
would  point  out  that  the  preposition  rendered 
“among”  is  en,  most  commonly  rendered  in;  so  that 
the  verse  might  properly  be  read  “From  whence  come 
wars  and  fightings  in  you.” 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


91 


In  chapter  1,  where  lust  or  desire  is  named  as  the 
cause  of  sin,  the  sequence  is  traced  from  the  inward 
to  the  outward.  Likewise  here  it  is  shown  that  fight¬ 
ing,  warring  and  killing  all  spring  from  the  same 
root. 

The  language  used  appears  almost  too  strong  to  he 
applied  to  renewed  men;  and  of  course  the  words 
would  be  applicable  in  their  fullest  meaning  only  to 
the  unsaved.  But  if  we  bear  in  mind  that  James  is 
here  speaking  of  the  flesh  (as  opposed  to  the  Spirit), 
and  that  the  flesh  in  the  believer  is  no  whit  better 
than  that  in  the  unbeliever,  it  will  be  recognized  that 
the  language  is  not  a  bit  too  strong  where  the  flesh  is 
uppermost,  and  its  incorrigible  nature  is  unre¬ 
strained. 

Paul,  in  Galatians  5,  enumerates  the  works  of  the 
flesh  and  among  them  is  “murder.”  So  James 
likewise  says,  “Ye  kill.”  Luther,  wishing  to  tone 
this  down,  translated  it  “Ye  hate.”  But  there  is  no 
warrant  for  weakening  the  language,  and  no  need. 
The  Lord  has  shown  that  to  be  angry  with  one’s  broth¬ 
er  merits  the  judgment  which  the  law  decreed  against 
the  slayer ;  for  anger  is  murder  in  its  incipient  stage ; 
and  John  plainly  says,  “Whosoever  hateth  his  broth¬ 
er  is  a  murderer”  (1  John  3:15). 

The  Scriptures  cited  in  the  last  preceding  para¬ 
graph  convey  precisely  the  same  lesson  as  James  4: 
1,  2 ;  and  they  confront  us  with  the  humbling  fact 
that  we,  one  and  all,  owe  our  escape  from  the  deed 
and  the  doom  of  the  murderer,  not  to  any  improve¬ 
ment  in  our  old  man,  or  to  the  fact  that  the  flesh  in 
us  is  any  whit  better  than  that  in  the  homicide — for 
there  is  in  fact  “no  difference” — but  wholly  and  sole¬ 
ly  to  the  restraining  power  of  the  Spirit  in  us,  and  to 


92 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


the  merits  of  our  Lord’s  intercession  for  us  in  the 
heavenly  sanctuary. 

Friendship  with  the  World 

Another  point  touched  upon  in  these  verses  is  fail¬ 
ure  in  prayer  and  misuse  of  prayer.  Some  try  to 
obtain  the  objects  of  their  desires  and  cannot.  So 
they  ‘ ‘ fight  and  war,”  and  they  have  not  because 
they  ask  not.  Here  is  failure  through  neglect  of  pray¬ 
er,  leading  on  to  an  attempt  to  attain  one’s  desires  by 
force.  But  in  the  next  verse  we  read  of  those  who  do 
ask,  and  yet  receive  not,  because  they  ask  amiss,  that 
they  may  consume  it  upon  their  desires.  Here  is  a 
fact  which  accounts  for  many  unanswered  prayers. 

Yerse  4  shows  what  sort  of  desires  or  “lusts”  are 
meant,  namely,  worldly  lusts,  as  in  1  Pet.  2 :11.  In 
that  verse  (Jam.  4:4)  the  words  “adulterers  and” 
should  be  omitted,  so  that  it  will  read  “Ye  adulter¬ 
esses,  know  ye  not  that  friendship  with  the  world  is 
enmity  with  God  ?  ’  ’ 

God  regards  His  people  as  being  so  peculiarly  His 
that  He  has  the  same  claim  upon  their  undivided  af¬ 
fections  and  upon  their  loyalty,  that  a  loving  and  de¬ 
voted  husband  has  upon  the  affections  and  loyalty  of 
his  wife.  (See  Isa.  50:  1;  Jer.  2:2;  31:32;  Ezek. 
Chap.  23;  2  Cor.  11:2;  Eph.  5:25-27,  etc.)  Hence,  to 
bestow,  in  any  other  quarter,  that  love  and  confidence 
which  God  claims  wholly  for  Himself,  or  to  seek  in 
other  quarters  for  that  which  a  fond  husband  de¬ 
lights  to  bestow,  is  in  His  eyes  spiritual  adultery. 

In  what  way  then,  and  with  whom,  may  God’s  peo¬ 
ple  now  commit  adultery?  The  foregoing  Scriptures 
answer  this  question  fully.  But  how  many  are  ready 
to  receive  the  answer?  The  tempter  of  God’s  people 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


93 


is  “the  world” — that  great  institution  which  offers 
to  supply  every  need  of  man  and  every  satisfaction 
which  his  heart  demands — “the  world,”  with  its  re¬ 
ligions  and  ethical  systems,  its  remedies  for  sin  and 
sickness,  its  art  and  music  and  literature,  its  educa¬ 
tion  and  sciences,  its  entertainments  and  amusements, 
its  philosophies  and  philanthropies,  its  sports  and 
pastimes — and  at  the  end  perhaps  a  funeral  oration 
and  polished  marble  shaft;  but  “after  this,  the  judg¬ 
ment”! 

So  long  as  the  redeemed  people  were  in  the  wil¬ 
derness ,  God  was  everything  to  them.  He  was  the 
Supplier  of  their  daily  food,  the  Protector  from  all 
their  enemies,  their  only  Guide  in  the  way  they  went, 
their  Sun  and  Shield,  and  the  only  Healer  of  their 
diseases.  He  was  everything  to  them  because  they 
were  in  a  wilderness,  and  there  was  none  other  for 
them  to  turn  to.  But  when  they  had  opportunity, 
they  cast  longing  looks  upon  the  Assyrians  and  Baby¬ 
lonians,  and  Chaldeans — ■  ‘  all  of  them  desirable 
young  men,  captains  and  rulers,  great  lords  and  re¬ 
nowned,  all  of  them  riding  upon  horses”  (Ezek.  23: 
23,  etc.)  ;  and  they  “doted  upon  them,”  and  sought 
friendly  relations  with  them,  and  accepted  help  and 
favors  from  them. 

And  how  did  God  deal  with  them  because  of  this? 
He  simply  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of  their 
lovers  (Ezek.  23:9,  etc.). 

These  things  happened  unto  them  for  ‘  ‘  types,  ’  ’  and 
are  written  for  our  admonition  (1  Cor.  10:11)  ; — not 
indeed  that  we  should  do  the  same  things,  but  that 
we  should  avoid  them.  We  should  give  careful  heed 
also  to  the  word  whereby  the  Lord  reproached  His 
people  through  Hosea,  taxing  them  likewise  with  spir- 


94 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


itual  unfaithfulness.  Thus  we  read:  “When 
Ephraim  saw  his  sickness  and  Judah  saw  his  wound, 
then  went  Ephraim  to  the  Assyrian,  and  sent  to  king 
Jareb;  yet  could  he  not  heal  you,  nor  cure  you  of 
your  wound”  (Hos.  5:13).  “Ephraim  also  is  like  a 
silly  dove  without  heart ;  they  call  to  Egypt ;  they  go 
to  Assyria”  (Hos.  7:11). 

The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desper¬ 
ately  wicked.  Only  the  Lord  can  know  it.  We  may 
be  outwardly  quite  correct  in  our  attitude  towards 
Him,  and  quite  correct  in  our  behaviour,  and  yet  our 
affections  be  far  from  Him  and  our  confidence  in  As¬ 
syria  and  Egypt.  A  visitation  of  illness  may  reveal 
even  to  ourselves  the  real  state  of  our  hearts.  What 
do  we  at  such  a  time?  Do  we  instinctively  seek  unto 
the  Lord  to  know  His  purpose  and  to  entreat  for  His 
deliverance?  Or  do  we,  like  King  Asa  and  like  the 
godless  people  of  the  world,  seek  not  unto  the  Lord 
but  unto  the  physicians?  May  He  in  mercy  preserve 
us  from  that  easiest  of  all  snares — self-deception. 

“Friendship  with  the  world”  then  is  spiritual 
adultery,  which  arouses  the  consuming  jealousy  of 
God's  love  for  His  people;  and  it  is,  moreover,  “en¬ 
mity  against  God.” 

Thus,  just  as  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  the  Lord 
passes  from  the  sin  of  murder  to  that  of  adultery,  so 
James  here  follows  the  same  order;  and  he  reveals 
the  sin  as  it  is  found,  not  in  the  physical  realm,  but 
in  the  moral  and  spiritual. 

To  seek  then  to  “the  world”  for  either  the  satis¬ 
factions  of  the  heart,  or  for  deliverance  from  ene¬ 
mies — in  one  word  for  ‘  ‘  salvation  ’  ’  from  either  sin  or 
sickness — is  to  commit  against  God  the  same  offence 
that  a  wife  commits  when  she  goes  aside  from  her 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


95 


own  loving  husband,  and  seeks  from  others  her  pleas¬ 
ure  or  her  relief  and  help  in  time  of  need. 

Is  the  world  to  us  truly  “a  wilderness  wide”?  Or 
do  we  deceive  ourselves  when  we  sing  such  words? 
If  it  be  a  wilderness  to  us,  then  it  must  be  such  by 
our  own  choice.  We  must  have  the  strength  of  faith 
in  our  divine  “Husband”  to  put  aside  the  friendly 
outstretched  hands  of  the  world,  and  to  trust  in  Him 
alone  for  everything  He  has  pledged  Himself  to  be  to 
His  people. 

Here  again,  as  in  other  parts  of  his  Epistle,  James 
shows  that  the  fault  is  inward;  and  hence  that  the 
fault  must  be  corrected  at  its  source,  if  it  is  to  be 
cured  at  all.  For  he  says,  “Whosoever  therefore 
will  be” — that  is,  has  the  wish  or  inclination  to  be — 
“a  friend  of  the  world,  is” — literally,  constitutes 
himself — “the  enemy  of  God.” 

The  word  here  translated  “friend”  is  that  term  of 
endearment  ( philos — a  loved  one)  which  the  Lord 
gave  to  His  disciples  just  before  He  suffered  (John 
15:14).  The  term  “friend”  He  applied  later  that 
same  evening  to  Judas  (Matt.  26:50)  is  a  very  dif¬ 
ferent  word,  signifying  simply  a  fellow  or  comrade. 

We  learn  then  that  to  desire  intimacy  with  the 
world  is  to  be  the  enemy  of  God.  And  this  leads  to 
the  pointed  question,  “Do  ye  think  that  the  Scripture 
saith  in  vain,  The  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  lusteth 
to  envy?”  The  Revised  Version  spells  the  word 
“Spirit”  with  an  initial  capital  letter,  thus  indicat¬ 
ing  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  here  referred  to.  And 
this  is  no  doubt  correct ;  for  it  is  not  conceivable  that 
it  should  be  man’s  own  spirit  that  would  be  moved 
to  jealous  longing  because  of  his  showing  affection¬ 
ate  or  trustful  regard  for  the  world,  which  is  God’s 


96 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


great  rival  for  the  confidence  of  men.  Moreover,  the 
word  rendered  “dwelleth”  is  literally  “took  up  his 
abode7’;  and  of  course  it  is  only  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  it  could  be  said  that  “He  took  up  His  abode  in 
us. 7  7  The  Spirit  Who  has  come  to  dwell  in  us  would 
shut  out  the  love  of  the  world. 

The  reference  which  James  makes  to  the  Holy  Spir¬ 
it  at  this  point  is  very  appropriate ;  for  the  Spirit  is 
given  to  help  our  infirmity  in  the  presence  of  those 
strong  enemies  of  whom  he  was  speaking.  The  refer¬ 
ence  serves  further  to  make  it  plain  that  James  ad¬ 
dresses  the  saints  of  this  dispensation. 

The  word  rendered  lusteth  ( epipotheo )  signifies  to 
long  intensely  for,  to  crave  earnestly  for,  to  desire 
ardently  to  possess.  So  we  get  as  the  sense  of  the  verse 
the  idea  of  God’s  jealous  longing  for  the  entire  af¬ 
fection  and  confidence  of  His  beloved  people. 

There  seems  to  be  no  particular  “Scripture”  that 
is  referred  to,  but  rather  the  thought  expressed  in 
various  Scriptures,  as  “the  spirit  of  jealousy”  in 
Numbers  5  :14,  and  such  passages  as  Numbers  25  :11 ; 
Deuteronomy  4 :24,  etc. 

“ But  He  giveth  more  grace.” 

God’s  stores  of  grace  are  inexhaustible,  and  are 
adapted  to  every  need.  What  is  needed  in  the  case 
here  under  consideration  is  grace  to  withstand  the 
blandishments  of  the  world,  and  to  overcome  those 
natural  instincts  of  our  own  hearts  which  prompt  us 
to  seek  aid  or  consolation  from  worldly  sources,  or  to 
listen  to  worldly  counsel  when  difficulties  or  dangers 
beset  us. 

Humility  and  Pride 

But  there  is  ever  a  condition  to  be  met  by  those 
who  would  be  the  recipients  of  grace,  and  that  con- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


97 


dition  is  humility.  Hence  James  immediately  quotes 
Proverbs  3  :34 :  ‘ 1  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth 
grace  to  the  humble .”  God  must  needs  resist  the 
proud,  because  the  proud  resist  Him.  Pride  in  man 
is  a  delusion  produced  by  satanic  power.  Its  essence 
lies  in  the  thought  that  he  can  get  along,  and  make 
a  way  for  himself,  and  be  happy,  apart  from  God. 
Humility,  on  the  contrary,  is  that  state  wherein  a 
man  recognizes  in  the  depths  of  his  heart  his  de¬ 
pendence  upon  God  for  everything.  When  sinful 
man  is  brought,  through  the  working  of  God’s  Word 
and  Spirit,  to  a  true  and  just  sense  of  his  condition 
as  a  lost  and  helpless  sinner,  guilty  and  condemned, 
and  is  hence  ready  to  accept  salvation  as  a  free  gift 
through  Jesus  Christ,  then  “grace”  saves  him.  And 
ever  thereafter  God  “giveth  more  grace”  as  the  need 
arises,  and  as  the  saved  one  owns  his  helplessness 
without  it. 

Since  Christ  has  died  for  guilty  sinners  and  has 
risen  again  and  ascended  ‘  ‘  the  throne  of  grace  ’ 7 
(Heb.  4:14),  God’s  free  grace,  which  bringeth  salva¬ 
tion,  hath  appeared  to  all  men  (Tit.  2:12).  But  pride 
in  the  hearts  of  men  resists  and  shuts  out  the  grace 
that  would  pardon  and  save  and  heal.  Pride  is  the 
Jericho  in  men’s  hearts  which  must  come  down  ere 
the  sinner  can  enter  into  the  heavenly  places  of  God’s 
favor.  God  gives  grace  to  the  humble  because  the 
humble  are  ready  to  receive  it. 

The  words  “He  giveth  more  grace”  are  a  further 
proof  that  this  Epistle  belongs  to  the  dispensation  of 
grace. 

The  exhortations  which  follow,  “Submit  yourselves 
therefore  to  God.  Resist  the  devil  and  he  will  flee 
from  you.  Draw  nigh  to  God  and  He  will  draw  nigh 


98 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


to  you”  (vv.  7,  8),  are  based  upon  the  truth  of  verse 
6,  that  God  giveth  grace  to  the  humble. 

Submission  of  ourselves  to  God  is  the  way  to  ob¬ 
tain  His  grace.  The  devil  is  the  author  of  pride, 
and  the  one  who  instigates  men  to  assume  a  position 
of  independency.  Hence  the  devil  is  here  referred  to, 
and  the  injunction  is  given  to  resist  him.  To  this  is 
coupled  the  comforting  assurance  that  he  will  flee 
from  us. 

Peter  writes  to  the  same  effect,  saying,  “Humble 
yourselves  therefore  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God. 
.  .  .  Be  sober,  be  vigilant;  because  your  adver¬ 

sary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seek¬ 
ing  whom  he  may  devour.  Whom  resist ,  stedfast  in 
the  faith.”  And  then  he  immediately  adds,  “But  the 
God  of  all  grace  .  .  .  make  you  perfect,  stablish, 
strengthen,  settle  you”  (1  Pet.  5:6-10). 

Thus  we  are  taught  by  both  James  and  Peter  that 
humility,  grace,  and  victory  over  the  devil  go  to¬ 
gether. 

God  resists  the  proud,  because  the  proud  resist 
him ;  but  the  humble  are  to  resist  the  devil,  who  must 
flee  from  them,  because  God  is  with  the  contrite  and 
lowly  (Isa.  57  :15). 

Then  we  are  to  “draw  nigh  to  God,  and  He  will 
draw  nigh  to  us.”  The  further  away  the  devil  flees, 
the  nearer  God  comes  to  us  (v.  8). 

Our  passage  continues:  “Cleanse  your  hands  ye 
sinners,  and  purify  your  hearts  ye  double  minded” 
(v.  8).  There  was  much  washing  of  hands  among 
the  Jews.  It  constituted  a  large  part  of  their  daily 
ceremonial.  For  they  never  ate  a  meal  or  a  morsel 
except  they  washed  their  hands  oft  (M’k.  7:3,  etc.). 
But  there  was  no  heed  given  by  them  to  the  far  more 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY  9y 

important  matter  of  cleansing  their  hearts.  Hence 
James  characteristicaliy  demands  that  the  inward 
cleansing  accompany  the  outward.  This  admonition 
is  addressed  specially  to  men  of  “double-soul, ”  an  ex¬ 
pression  we  have  already  noticed  (1:8).  It  is  partic¬ 
ularly  pertinent  here,  where  rebuke  and  warnings  are 
given  to  those  vacillating  ones  of  “double-soul”  who 
look  sometimes  to  God,  and  sometimes  to  the  world. 

Of  course  the  expression  ‘  ‘  cleanse  your  hands  ’  ’  is  to 
be  taken  in  a  figurative  sense,  signifying  to  keep  the 
hand  from  sinful  acts,  while  the  heart  is  kept  from 
sinful  thoughts  and  desires.  The  admonition  “draw 
nigh  to  God”  brings  to  mind  the  need  of  purifica¬ 
tion  of  hands  and  heart.  The  Lord  said  “Blessed  are 
the  pure  in  heart ;  for  they  shall  see  God”  (Mat. 
5:8). 

Continuing  James  says:  “Be  afflicted,  and  mourn, 
and  weep ;  let  your  laughter  be  turned  to  mourn¬ 
ing,  and  your  joy  to  heaviness”  (v.  9). 

It  is  not  to  be  understood  from  this  that  God  wishes 
His  people  to  be  downcast  and  gloomy;  for  it  is,  on 
the  contrary,  their  duty  to  “rejoice  in  the  Lord  al¬ 
ways,”  and  their  privilege  to  be  “filled  with  joy  and 
peace  in  believing.  ’  ’  But  we  have,  in  the  passage  be¬ 
fore  us,  admonitions  and  exhortations  to  saints  who 
are  not  walking  worthy  of  their  high  calling,  but  are 
striving  among  themselves,  who  are  away  from  God, 
and  are  courting  the  favors  of  the  world.  Such  are 
called  upon  to  realize  their  true  condition ;  for  the 
word  “be  afflicted”  signifies  to  realize  one’s  wretched¬ 
ness  (see  Strong’s  Cone.)  ;  so  that  what  we  have  here 
is  in  the  nature  of  a  call  to  repentance  and  godly 
sorrow,  which,  as  Paul  says,  “worketh  repentance  to 
salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of”  (2  Cor.  7:10). 


100  JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 

To  be  living  in  such  a  way  as  practically  to  deny 
that  worthy  Name  which  has  been  called  upon  us,  is 
a  serious  matter,  and  must  lead  to  serious  conse¬ 
quences  for  ourselves;  but  more  serious  still  is  it  to 
think  we  are  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  in 
need  of  nothing,  wTien  in  reality  we  are  wretched 
and  miserable  and  poor  and  blind  and  naked  (Rev.  3 : 
17).  Hence  the  call  to  “realize  your  wretchedness, ’ ’ 
and  to  mourn  and  weep  over  the  conditions  that  are 
here  reproved. 

If  we  follow  this  admonition  it  will  bring  us  into 
a  state  of  humility,  and  when  in  that  state  we  can 
always  count  upon  help  from  the  Lord.  Hence  the 
concluding  words  of  the  passage:  “Humble  your¬ 
selves  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  He  shall  lift  you 
up”  (v.  10). 

Humility  is  pleasing  to  God,  not  because  He  would 
have  us  entertain  a  worse  opinion  of  ourselves  than 
we  deserve,  but  simply  because  humility  is  befitting 
those  who  can  say  no  better  thing  of  themselves  than 
that  they  are  sinners  saved  by  grace.  To  be  saved 
by  grace  means  that  we  were  too  hopelessly  corrupt 
and  vile  to  be  saved  in  any  other  way.  Hence  humil¬ 
ity  on  our  part  is  simply  the  acknowledging  of  the 
truth ;  and  it  follows  that  any  “lifting  up”  of  our¬ 
selves  is  a  denial  of  the  truth ,  and  hence  an  offence 
to  the  God  of  Truth.  But  if  we  humble  ourselves  in 
His  sight,  He,  in  perfect  keeping  with  His  own  char¬ 
acter  as  “the  God  of  all  grace,”  can  and  will  “lift 
us  up.” 

Peter  uses  almost  the  same  words,  as  we  have  seen, 
saying:  “Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God,  that  He  may  exalt  you  in  due 
time”  (1  Pet.  5  :6). 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


101 


Evil  Speaking 

Much  is  said  in  the  Scripture  in  condemnation  of 
the  sin  of  evil  speaking,  against  which  we  have  need 
of  constant  watchfulness  and  prayer. 

Evil  speaking  is  the  fruit  of  pride ;  for  it  is  a  lofty 
opinion  of  oneself  that  leads  to  thinking  and  speak¬ 
ing  ill  of  others.  Often  the  (perhaps  unconscious) 
thought  is  that,  by  putting  others  down,  we  exalt,  by 
comparison,  ourselves.  Hence,  if  we  carry  in  our 
minds  a  right  and  just  estimate  of  our  own  selves, 
that  is  to  say,  if  we  are  properly  and  truthfully  hum - 
ble,  then  we  will  have  no  disposition  to  say  any  evil 
thing  of  another.  Therefore  we  appropriately  have 
at  this  point  the  admonition,  “  Speak  not  evil  one  of 
another,  brethren”  (4:11)  ;  for  there  is  an  immediate 
connection  between  verse  10,  which  calls  us  to  humble 
ourselves,  and  verse  11,  which  says,  “  Speak  not  evil 
one  of  another.” 

Peter,  in  dealing  with  this  subject,  shows  that  the 
consequence  of  evil  speaking  is  the  shortening  of  one ’s 
life.  He  says,  “For  he  that  will  love  life  and  see 
good  days,  let  him  refrain  his  tongue  from  evil,  and 
his  lips  that  they  speak  no  guile”  (1  Pet.  3:10).  This 
is  practically  a  quotation  from  Psalm  34 :12. 

James,  however,  presents  this  sin  as  a  direct  of¬ 
fence  against  the  law,  saying:  “He  that  speaketh  evil 
of  his  brother,  and  judgeth  his  brother,  speaketh  evil 
of  the  law  and  judgeth  the  law :  but  if  thou  judge  the 
law  thou  art  not  a  doer  of  the  law,  but  a  judge.” 

Here  again  James  asserts  the  majesty  of  the  law; 
and  declares  its  permanence ;  and  in  so  doing  he  sets 
forth  Christianity  as  being  the  continuation  and  com¬ 
pletion  of  true  Judaism.  It  is  not  the  letter  of  the 


102 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


law  which  James  asserts,  but  the  spirit  thereof.  It 
is  “law”  in  the  New  Testament  sense.  For  obviously 
the  man  who  sits  in  judgment  on  his  brother  is  so  far 
from  humbling  himself  before  the  Word  of  God,  that 
he  actually  exa]ts  himself  above  it,  assuming  to  be  a 
judge  of  others,  whom  he  summons  before  himself,  so 
to  speak,  to  hear  from  his  lips  the  solemn  sentence  of 
judgment. 

In  so  doing  one  invites  the  severity  of  God,  for 
the  Lord  has  said  “Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged” 
(Matt.  7  :1). 

Moreover,  another,  and  even  more  serious,  feature 
of  this  offence  is,  that  it  really  sets  God  aside;  for 
He  is  the  only  Lawgiver  and  Judge.  James  points 
this  out  in  the  next  words :  ‘  ‘  There  is  One  Lawgiver, 
Who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy ;  who  art  thou  that 
judges!  another?”  (v.  12). 

This  is  a  searching  and  a  solemn  question.  If  we 
realize,  though  but  faintly,  what  an  awful  thing  is 
judgment;  if  we  bear  in  mind  that  “eternal  judg¬ 
ment  ’  ’  was  our  rightful  portion,  and  that  nothing  but 
the  death  of  God ’s  beloved  Son  could  save  us  from  it ; 
and  if  we  remember  that  God  alone  is  the  rightful 
Judge,  and  has  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son 
(John  5:22),  then  the  words  “who  art  thou  that 
judgest  another,”  will  surely  put  the  fear  of  God 
into  our  hearts. 

The  apostle  Paul  likewise  asks  a  similar  question: 
“Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man’s  servant? 
to  his  own  master  he  standeth  or  falleth”  (Rom.  14: 
4).  Let  us  then  be  “swift  to  hear”  all  the  words 
which  admonish  us  as  to  what  we  are,  and  which 
lead  us  to  self-judgment.  There  is  in  fact  so  much 
that  is  amiss  in  every  one  of  us  that,  if  we  would  but 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


103 


apply  ourselves  to  the  correction  of  our  own  faults, 
we  should  have  neither  time  nor  inclination  to  speak 
of,  much  less  to  pass  judgment  upon,  the  faults  of 
others. 

The  Uncertainty  of  Life 

The  spirit  of  the  natural  man  is  a  spirit  of  pride 
and  self-sufficiency;  and  it  is  the  manifestation  of 
that  spirit  which  is  rebuked  in  the  passage  upon 
which  we  have  been  commenting.  Another  manifes¬ 
tation  of  the  same  spirit  is  noticed  in  the  next  verse : 
“Go  to  now,  ye  that  say,  Today  or  tomorrow  we  will 
go  into  such  a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year ,  and 
buy  and  sell,  and  get  gain”  (v.  13). 

It  is  in  a  spirit  of  pride  and  self-confidence  that 
men  speak  thus  (as  they  do  habitually),  in  utter  for¬ 
getfulness  of  God,  and  in  forgetfulness  also  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  but  perishing  creatures,  whose  lives 
hang  by  a  fragile  thread.  And  not  only  so,  but  even 
if  a  man  could  count  upon  the  prolongation  of  his 
life  for  “a  year,”  the  future  is  absolutely  hidden 
from  him,  and  the  unforeseen  things  may  upset  his 
best  laid  plans. 

These  facts  (known  to  all  men  but  by  nearly  all 
ignored)  are  forcefully  brought  to  mind  by  the  next 
verse :  ‘  ‘  Whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the 
morrow.  For  what  is  your  life?  It  is  even  a  vapor, 
that  appeareth  for  a  little  while,  and  then  vanisheth 
away”  (v.  14). 

These  are  facts;  and  they  are  facts  which,  if  al¬ 
lowed  to  have  their  proper  weight  with  men,  would 
bring  them  into  a  state  of  due  humility,  and  would 
force  them  to  realize  their  entire  dependence  upon 
God,  both  to  prolong  their  lives,  and  also  to  shape 


104 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


the  course  of  events.  The  man  who  sets  God  aside 
and  plans  for  his  future,  saying,  “Tomorrow  I  will 
go  there,  or  will  do  this,”  is  as  foolish  as  one  who 
would  plan  for  the  future  of  the  misty  vapor  that 
rises  from  the  earth  in  the  early  morning. 

If,  therefore,  it  is  folly  for  all  men  thus  to  plan  for 
that  which  is  entirely  in  God’s  hand,  how  much  more 
so  for  His  own  people?  Yet  how  many  of  them  are 
manifesting  continually  their  need  of  this  very 
lesson ! 

We  would  observe  that  here  again  James  follows 
closely  the  Lord’s  teaching  given  in  His  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  where  He  forbids  taking  thought  for  the 
morrow  (Matt.  6:25-34).  As  Christ  Himself  puts  it 
the  emphasis  is  not  on  the  folly  of  laying  out  plans 
for  a  future  which  may  never  be  at  all,  and  of  which, 
in  any  case,  we  can  know  nothing  beforehand,  but 
on  the  comforting  fact  that  our  Father  in  heaven, 
Who  holds  the  future  in  His  own  hand,  has  charged 
Him, self  with  the  entire  responsibility  for  all  the 
needs  of  all  His  children.  It  should  be  enough  for  us 
that  our  “times  are  in  His  hand.” 

James  continues,  “For  that  we  ought  to  say,  if  the 
Lord  will,  we  shall  live  and  do  this  or  that”  (v.  15). 
It  may  not  be  necessary  in  every  case  (though  it  can 
never  be  amiss)  to  utter  these  or  like  words ;  but  the 
substance  of  the  lesson  is  that  we  should  be  always 
mindful  of  the  fact  that  we  have  no  certainty  of  any 
1 1  tomorrow  ’  ’  in  this  world ;  and  that  if  we  have  a  to¬ 
morrow  we  do  not  know  what  it  will  bring  forth. 
Hence  we  should  always  act  and  speak  in  accordance 
with  that  fact. 

“But  now,”  says  James,  “ye  rejoice  in  your  boast¬ 
ings;  all  such  rejoicing  is  vain”  (v.  16).  In  this 


JAMBS:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


105 


verse  the  words  “rejoice”  and  “boasting’  have  very 
much  the  same  meaning.  The  verse  might  be  rendered, 
“Ye  vaunt  yourselves  in  your  boastings.”  Thus 
pride  is  again  rebuked. 

The  last  verse  of  this  chapter  states  in  few  words 
a  fact  of  vast  importance,  and  one  which  neverthe¬ 
less  is  generally  disregarded.  To  most  minds  “sin” 
consists  in  the  doing  of  some  flagrant  act  of  immoral¬ 
ity  or  wickedness.  But  the  Word  of  God  points  out 
that  sin  may  be  found  in  the  not  doing  of  something 
that  one  ought  to  do.  So  James  says:  “Therefore, 
to  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good  and  doeth  it  not ,  to 
him  it  is  sin”  (v.  17). 

A  question  will  naturally  arise  here  in  regard  to 
the  word  “Therefore.”  To  what,  in  the  preceding 
context,  is  James  referring?  For  he  had  not  been 
speaking  of  sins  of  omission. 

We  would  suggest  that  the  word  “therefore”  is  a 
reference  to  the  whole  trend  of  the  teaching  of  this 
Epistle,  which  is,  as  we  have  pointed  out,  to  the  ef¬ 
fect  that  the  mere  knowing  of  the  Word  (or  -Law)  of 
God,  and  the  mere  saying  of  the  truth,  is  of  no  avail ; 
but  that  the  essential  thing  in  God’s  eyes  is  always 
the  doing  of  that  which  is  right.  One  may  admire 
the  Law,  may  speak  highly  of  it,  and  may  even  teach 
it  to  others;  but  what  will  that  avail  him  if  he  fails 
to  do  the  things  commanded  ? 

Here  again  we  have  a  marked  resemblance  to  the 
Lord’s  own  teaching  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
which  He  brings  to  a  conclusion  by  likening  every¬ 
one  who  hears  those  sayings  of  His,  and  does  them 
not,  to  the  foolish  man  who  built  his  house  upon  the 
sand. 

We  are  reminded  by  the  words  of  James  4:17  that 


106  JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 

the  sin  for  which  men  are  “ condemned ”  is  not  some¬ 
thing  they  have  done ,  but  something  they  should 
have  done,  but  have  omitted  to  do.  For  the  Lord  has 
plainly  said,  “He  that  beiieveth  not  is  condemned  al¬ 
ready,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  Name  of 
the  only-begotten  Son  of  God”  (John  3:18).  For 
God  has  given  to  sinful  men  a  Saviour,  and  He  com¬ 
mands  them  to  “believe  on  the  Name  of  His  Son, 
Jesus  Christ”  that  they  may  be  saved  (1  John  3:23). 
Hence  not  to  believe  in  Him  is  the  sin  for  which  there 
is  no  remedy. 

In  another  connection  the  Lord  said,  “If  ye  were 
blind  ye  should  have  no  sin”  (literally  would  not 
have  sin ,  meaning  in  the  particular  matter  then  in 
view)  “but  now  ye  say,  We  see;  therefore  your  sin 
remaineth”  (John  9:41). 

Again,  in  still  another  connection,  He  said:  “And 
that  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  prepared 
not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be 
beaten  with  many  stripes”  (Lu.  12:47). 

The  prophet  Samuel  said  on  one  occasion  to  the 
people  of  Israel,  “God  forbid  that  I  should  sin 
against  the  Lord  in  ceasing  to  pray  for  you”  (1  Sam. 
12:23).  Let  this  remind  us  that  we  are  commanded 
to  pray  “for  all  saints”  (Eph.  6:18),  “for  all  men” 
(1  Tim.  2:1),  and  “for  all  that  are  in  authority”  (1 
Tim.  2:2).  To  know  this,  and  to  fail  to  do  it  is  sin. 

We  have,  therefore,  a  very  searching  Scripture  be¬ 
fore  us,  which  leaves  in  us  no  room  and  no  footing  for 
pride;  and  which  shows  us  the  presence  of  sin,  even 
where  we  may  have  supposed  ourselves  to  be  quite 
blameless. 


CHAPTER  IX 


The  Last  Days.  Heaping  Up  Riches.  “  Capital” 

And  “Labor” 

We  come  now  to  the  last  chapter  of  James,  a  chap¬ 
ter  whose  contents  are  of  peculiar  importance  for 
“the  last  days/’  We  do  well,  therefore,  to  give  the 
closest  attention  to  what  is  here  written  for  our  ad¬ 
monition. 

The  chapter  foretells  the  conditions  which  would 
exist  at  the  time  of  the  end.  It  speaks  definitely  of 
“the  last  days”  (v.  3).  It  exhorts  the  brethren  to  be 
patient  “unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord”  (v.  7).  It 
assures  them  that  “the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth 
nigh”  (v.  8)  ;  that  “the  Judge  standeth  at  the  door” 
(v.  9).  And  twice  it  refers  to  the  latter  rain  (vv. 
7,18). 

There  is  an  evident  progression  in  the  teaching 
given  in  this  Epistle.  At  the  beginning,  God  is  put 
before  us  as  the  Father  of  lights  and  the  Giver  of 
every  good  gift ;  and  the  first  of  gifts — the  new  birth 
— is  mentioned.  Then  the  new  born  children  are  ex¬ 
horted  to  be  swift  to  hear,  and  thereby  to  receive 
the  implanted  word  which  is  able  to  save  their  souls. 
From  that  point  onward  the  teaching  is  always  with 
a  view  to  producing  in  the  children  of  God  the  con¬ 
formity  of  the  inward  man  to  the  image  of  Christ, 
so  that  the  outward  conduct  may  be  the  fruit  thereof. 
We  have  practical  lessons  on  the  great  subjects  of 
Pure  Religion,  Live  Faith,  and  True  Wisdom,  in  an 
advancing  series.  Finally  the  spirit  of  pride,  which 
is  the  leading  characteristic  of  the  natural  man,  is  re- 


108 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


buked;  and  the  lesson  of  humility,  the  most  essential 
thing  as  being  the  condition  of  all  blessing,  is  strong¬ 
ly  emphasized.  This  brings  us  to  the  last  chapter, 
which  is  largely  'prophetic. 

First  of  all  is  a  vivid  sketch  foretelling  the  misera¬ 
ble  end  of  riches,  and  the  approaching  miseries  of 
those  who  devote  themselves  to  the  accumulation  of 
the  wealth  of  this  world.  This  connects  directly  with 
the  subject  of  the  preceding  chapter  (pride,  self- 
confidence  and  independency  of  God)  for  money  is 
what  sustains  pride  in  man,  and  fosters  within  him 
the  thought  that  he  is  independent  of  God,  and  the 
master  of  his  own  destiny. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  His  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  referred  to  Mammon,  the  god  of  riches,  as 
the  “ master’ 7  of  those  who  do  not  serve  and  trust  God. 
This  line  of  separation  between  the  two  classes  has 
become  clearer  and  clearer  as  the  centuries  have 
passed  by;  and  now,  ‘‘in  the  last  days/7  we  find,  as 
foretold  by  James,  a  clearly  defined  class  of  “rich 
men,77  known  as  “capitalists,  or  “financiers,77  men 
who  form  a  class  by  themselves  simply  and  solely  be¬ 
cause  they  have  in  their  hands  the  control  of  the 
finances  of  the  world.  It  has  taken  centuries  of  time 
to  develop  this  state  of  things;  and  few  perhaps  are 
aware  that,  only  in  our  day  has  it  come  to  full  ma¬ 
turity. 

Efforts  have  heretofore  been  made  to  control  the 
world,  and  to  establish  dominion  over  the  souls  of 
men  by  force,  and  (as  in  the  case  of  Romanism)  by 
usurping  authority  over  their  consciences.  Those  ef¬ 
forts,  however,  have  met  with  but  partial  success.  But 
within  comparatively  recent  times  a  more  subtle  and 
more  successful  attempt  to  gain  the  mastery  of  the 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


109 


world  has  been  made.  Certain  individuals  gifted 
with  unusual  astuteness,  or  possibly  inspired  by 
satanic  cleverness,  have  come  to  see  that  if  they  could 
gain  control  of  the  finances  of  the  world  they  could 
thereby  control  all  the  industries  and  activities  of 
mankind.  They  can  even  control  governments, 
since  the  operation  of  governments  in  our  day 
is  largely  a  matter  of  finances.  For  it  is  obvious 
that  the  industries  of  the  world  depend  upon  money ; 
and  even  “governments”  require  for  their  operations 
the  constant  support  of  finances  and  the  financiers. 
It  is  easy,  therefore,  to  see  that  the  men  who  control 
the  finances  of  the  world  are  the  real  masters,  not 
only  of  its  industries,  but  of  its  governments  and  peo¬ 
ples  as  well. 

The  rule  of  Mammon  (or  “Capitalism”  which  is 
its  modern  conventional  name)  has  developed  in  a 
very  mysterious  way,  the  whole  subject  of  “finance” 
being  so  involved  in  complexities  and  mysteries  that 
but  a  few  are  able  to  follow  its  intricate  workings. 
Thus  the  devotees  and  priests  of  Mammon  have  been 
able  gradually,  and  without  attracting  too  much  at¬ 
tention  to  themselves ,  to  extend  their  control  over 
human  affairs  until,  at  the  present  time,  it  is  almost 
absolute. 

This  control  of  “Capital”  or  “Mammon”  is  all  the 
more  difficult  to  escape  and  to  resist,  because  it  is 
spiritual  in  character,  and  hence  its  workings  are  in¬ 
visible.  This  is  the  source  of  its  strength.  It  is  no 
part  of  our  present  purpose  to  delve  into  this  myste¬ 
rious  subject;  but  it  is  pertinent  to  observe  (as  some 
have  been  able  to  discern  even  without  the  light  of 
God’s  truth)  that  the  mass  of  mankind  have  been 
brought  into  submission  to  the  dominion  of  the  great 


110 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


god  “Capital,”  because  they  have  been  deceived  into 
accepting  the  monstrous  fiction  that  gold  is  “wealth,” 
and  that  such  power  inheres  in  it  that  nothing  can  he 
done  fo7'  the  good  of  mankind  without  it. 

They  have  also  been  drilled  into  the  acceptance  of 
the  false  notion  that  the  “economic  laws,”  so  called, 
which  control  prices  and  markets,  trade  movements, 
panics,  scarcity  of  money,  and  of  commodities,  etc., 
producing  mysterious  fluctuations,  sometimes  slight 
and  gradual,  sometimes  wide  and  violent,  are  like 
the  laws  of  nature — beyond  human  control.  This  is  a 
huge  delusion;  for  the  so-called  “economic  laws”  are 
arbitrarily  imposed  upon  human  industry,  being  sim¬ 
ply  the  manipulations  of  those  who  have  managed  to 
get  the  control  of  the  world’s  finances,  and  the  high¬ 
ly  artificial  machinery  of  finance,  into  their  capable 
hands. 

It  needs  but  a  few  moments  of  clear  thinking  to  en¬ 
able  anyone  of  ordinary  intelligence  to  see  that  there 
is  no  more  inherent  power  in  gold  to  make  the  wheels 
of  industry  go  round,  to  bring  up  food  out  of  the 
earth,  to  support  governments,  and  to  command  the 
services  of  men,  than  there  is  in  lead,  or  wood,  or  stone. 
The  whole  thing — the  world-rule  of  gold — is  a  pure 
convention,  a  creature  of  man’s  own  devising,  an 
idol  to  which  men  have  been  induced  to  yield  their 
devotion.  The  “financiers”  are  simply  the  priests 
who  serve  this  great  god  for  their  own  profit;  and 
the  so-called  ‘  ‘  economic  laws  ’  ’  are  simply  the  fluctua¬ 
tions  in  trade-conditions  and  “markets”  which  they 
see  fit  to  bring  about  for  the  better  accomplishment 
of  their  own  purposes. 

All  this  is  simply  the  fulfilling  of  the  Word  of  God, 
which  has  shown  us  beforehand  the  almost  universal 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


111 


dominion  of  the  god  of  gold,  and  has  shown  us  also 
its  overthrow,  and  the  miserable  end  of  those  who  give 
themselves  over  to  the  service  and  pursuit  of  riches. 
The  knowledge  of  the  facts  to  which  we  have  briefly 
referred  would  be  likely  to  drive  a  man  (unless  he 
be  himself  a  “financier”)  into  Bolshevism,  or  some 
other  form  of  Socialism — and  it  is  having  that  effect 
at  the  present  time.  But  those  who  get  their  knowl¬ 
edge  from  the  Word  of  God  have  a  clear  understand¬ 
ing  as  to  the  end  of  these  things ;  and  they  know  that 
the  true  and  only  remedy  is  to  be  patient,  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  (v.  7). 

The  Coming  Miseries  of  the  Kich 

That  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men,  that 
which  flourishes  in  this  present  evil  world,  that  which 
procures  for  its  owners  place,  power  and  pleasure, 
must  needs  come  to  a  miserable  end,  in  that  day  when 
the  lofty  looks  of  man  shall  be  bowed  down.  “For 
the  day  of  the  Lord  of  hosts*  shall  be  upon  every  one 
that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon  every  one  that  is 
lifted  up;  and  he  shall  be  brought  low,y  (Isa.  2:11, 
12). 

James,  in  the  beginning  of  his  Epistle,  calls  upon 
the  rich  (believer)  to  rejoice  in  that  he  is  made  low 
(1 :10)  ;  and  we  have  only  to  read  the  opening  verses 
of  chapter  5  to  discover  abundant  reason  why  any  of 
the  children  of  God  who  were  rich  in  the  worldly 
sense  should  rejoice,  if  indeed  he  has  been  made  low 
through  the  humbling  grace  of  God,  and  has  found 
deliverance,  through  the  cross  of  Christ,  from  the 

*  It  is  perhaps  significant  that  this  title  “Lord  of  hosts” 
(Sabaoth)  occurs  in  James  5:4,  and  nowhere  else  in  the 
New  Testament,  except  as  a  quotation  from  the  Old  in 
Rom.  9:29, 


112 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


conditions  and  occupations  of  heart  and  mind  which 
are  common  to  all  who  give  themselves  to  the  service 
of  Mammon. 

For  our  Epistle  declares,  in  language  that  is  re¬ 
markable  for  its  force  and  clearness,  that  “miseries” 
are  to  come  upon  the  “rich  men”  of  the  world,  and 
that  those  miseries  will  be  such  as  to  cause  them,  at 
their  mere  approach,  to  “weep  and  howl.” 

There  is  no  distinction  made  in  this  Scripture  be¬ 
tween  certain  “rich  men”  and  others.  It  includes 
them  all,  without  regard  to  whether  they  are  saved  or 
unsaved.  But  some  will  say,  “surely  this  Scripture 
is  not  to  be  applied  to  rich  men  who  are  believers”; 
to  which  we  can  only  reply  that  we  dare  not  make  a 
distinction  where  God  has  made  none.  Furthermore, 
“riches,”  as  such,  are  precisely  the  same  thing  in 
the  hands  of  one  man  as  in  the  hands  of  another; 
and  if  children  of  God  close  their  eyes  to  the  plain 
teaching  of  His  Word,  and  give  themselves  to  the  pur¬ 
suit  of  gain  by  the  same  methods  as  practiced  by  the 
people  of  the  world,  on  what  ground  can  they  expect 
to  escape  participation  in  the  miseries  of  the  rich? 
There  are  among  us,  as  we  are  aware,  those  who  would 
so  “divide  the  word  of  truth”  as  to  reserve  for  them¬ 
selves  all  the  benefits  of  worldly  riches,  and  pass  on 
the  “miseries”  to  the  Jews.  But  is  there  any  war¬ 
rant  for  dividing  things  in  that  way? 

We  know  of  a  business  man,  a  professed  saint, 
prominent  in  certain  religious  enterprises,  who  is  so 
“successful”  in  business  that  he  pays  thousands  of 
dollars  income  tax  to  the  Government.  Not  only  is 
his  devotion  to  business  quite  marked,  but  he  demands 
the  same  devotion  of  his  employees.  For  example,  he 
forbade  an  employee  to  read  the  Scriptures  on  the 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


113 


way  to  the  office,  because  it  was  a  good  time  to  be 
planning  the  work  of  the  day;  and  he  objected  to 
anything  being  done  for  the  Lord  at  night  (as  gos¬ 
pel-preaching  on  the  street)  lest  the  employee  should 
not  be  fresh  and  keen  for  business  next  morning.  And 
not  only  so,  but  in  order  to  justify  these  demands  he 
quoted  the  words  “No  man  can  serve  two  masters.” 
Is  it  difficult  to  see  what  “master”  that  brother  is 
serving  ? 

The  Responsibilities  of  the  Rich 

There  are  some  Christians  who,  when  they  succeed 
in  getting  large  gains  through  their  business  enter¬ 
prise  and  sagacity,  speak  of  it  as  a  “blessing”  from 
the  Lord.  But  we  find  nothing  in  the  New  Testament 
to  support  the  idea  that  success  in  the  pursuit  of  mon¬ 
ey  is  a  “blessing.”  The  Lord  has  not  said,  “Blessed 
are  the  rich”;  but  He  has  most  distinctly  said, 
“Blessed  be  ye  poor;  But  woe  unto  you  that  are  rich! 
for  ye  have  received  your  consolation "  (Luke  6:20, 
24).  Those  saints  who  “will  to  be  rich,”  and  who 
devote  their  energies  and  time  to  the  attainment  of 
this  object,  may  indeed  be  allowed  to  succeed.  But 
what  a  price  they  will  pay  for  having  ‘ 1  received  t h-eir 
consolation”  in  a  world  where  their  Lord  had  not 
where  to  lay  His  head ! 

The  apostle  Paul  says,  “And  having  food  and  rai¬ 
ment  let  us  be  therewith  content.  But  they  that  will 
to  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare,  and  into 
many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in 
destruction  and  perdition.  For  the  love  of  money  is 
the  root  of  all  evil”  (literally  a  root  of  every  sort  of 
evil)  “which  while  some  coveted  after,  they  have 
erred  from  the  faith,  and  pierced  themselves  through 
with  many  sorrows”  (1  Tim.  6:8-10).  And  he  adds: 


114 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


“But  thou,  0  man  of  God,  flee  these  things One 
cannot  pursue  a  thing  and  flee  from  it  at  the  same 
time. 

Certainly  these  Scriptures  do  not  encourage  saints 
to  engage  in  the  pursuit  of  gain,  or  to  regard  its  ac¬ 
quisition  as  a  “blessing.”  On  the  contrary  God 
makes  it  very  plain  in  the  epistle  of  James  that  He 
has  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world  (2:5),  and  that,  as 
appears  by  the  opening  verses  of  chapter  5,  He  re¬ 
gards  the  holders  of  the  wealth  of  the  world  as  being 
unjustly  in  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  it.  And 
how  could  it  be  regarded  otherwise  when  there  are 
millions  of  wretchedly  poor  in  the  world,  whose  pov¬ 
erty  is  the  direct  result  of  the  very  same  “ financial’ ’ 
operations  which  have  put  the  wealth  of  the  world 
into  the  hands  of  the  few  “rich  men”?  So  long  as 
there  are  poor  whose  sufferings  are  not  relieved,  can 
the  holding  and  hoarding  of  wealth,  which  ought  to 
be  used  to  succor  them,  be  a^dhing  but  a  sin  in  God ’s 
eyes?  If  the  rich  man,  be  he  saint  or  sinner,  disre¬ 
gards  the  miseries  of  the  poor,  which  are  before  his 
eyes  every  day,  on  what  ground  can  he  expect  to  es¬ 
cape  the  “miseries”  of  the  rich t 

Therefore,  it  behooves  those  of  the  Lord’s  people 
who  are  in  possession  of  “this  world’s  goods”  to  con¬ 
sider  carefully  their  responsibility,  and  to  seek  wis¬ 
dom  from  above  as  to  how  they  should  discharge  it. 
Their  opportunity  is  to  make  to  themselves  friends 
of  the  Mammon  of  unrighteousness  (Luke  16:9)  ;  but 
it  is  greatly  to  be  feared  that  many  of  them  are  more 
anxious  about  making  profitable  “investments”  for 
the  time  that  now  is.  What  will  be  the  end  of  those 
“investments”  which  occupy  so  much  time  and 
thought,  and  which  are  made  with  such  painstaking 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


115 


care?  Let  the  rich  that  are  among  us  consider  this 
in  the  light  of  eternity.  Let  them  also  consider  well 
these  words  of  Him  Who,  though  He  was  rich,  yet  for 
our  sakes  became  poor:  ‘‘Sell  that  ye  have,  and  give 
alms;  provide  yourselves  bags  which  wax  not  old,  a 
treasure  in  the  heavens  that  faileth  not,  where  no 
thief  approacheth,  neither  moth  corrupteth”  (Luke 
12:33). 

Moth  and  Rust 

We  have  pointed  out  several  times  how  closely 
James  follows  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  both  in  the 
topics  he  treats,  and  also  in  the  order  in  which  he 
treats  them.  Here  we  have  another  instance.  For 
in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  the  Lord  deals  first  with 
prayer,  teaching  the  children  of  God  that,  as  regards 
the  things  necessary  for  this  life,  they  are  to  ask  their 
Father  in  heaven,  day  by  day;  and  then  He  goes  on 
to  teach  them  not  to  treasure  up  for  themselves  treas¬ 
ures  on  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  corrupt,  and 
where  thieves  break  through  and  steal ;  but  to  treas¬ 
ure  up  for  themselves  treasures  in  heaven  (Matt.  6). 
These  two  topics  are  closely  related,  because  real  trust 
in  our  Father  in  heaven  would  remove  all  incentive 
to  treasure  up  for  ourselves  treasures  on  earth. 

James  treats  the  same  topics,  i.  e.,  (1)  trust  in  God, 
expressing  itself  in  prayer,  and  (2)  amassing  wealth; 
but  he  treats  them  from  a  different  point  of  view.  For 
he  speaks  not  of  the  happy  or  “blessed”  conse¬ 
quences  of  following  the  Lord’s  teaching,  but  of  the 
unhappy  consequence  of  not  following  it.  Thus,  in 
chapter  4,  he  tells  of  the  result  of  failure  in  prayer — 
“Ye  have  not  because  ye  ask  not” — and  since  not 
having  may  impel  to  the  attempt  to  gain  wealth,  and 
through  wealth  the  things  it  will  procure,  James  pro- 


116 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


ceeds  to  declare  what  will  be  the  end  of  hoarded 
riches,  namely,  the  consuming  thereof  as  by  the  rav¬ 
ages  of  moths,  and  as  by  the  cankering  or  rusting  of 
the  gold  and  silver.  Thus  he  says  it  will  be  with  those 
who  have  ‘ ‘ treasured  up”  wealth  for  “the  last  days” 
(v.  3).  He  uses  here  the  same  word  “treasure  up” 
used  by  the  Lord  in  Matthew  6:19,  20  (rendered  in 
the  A.  V.  “lay  up”). 

The  language  is,  of  course,  figurative.  Riches  are 
here  viewed  as  of  two  general  sorts — hard  metallic 
substances,  as  gold  and  silver,  and  soft  goods,  as  rich 
fabrics.  But  whether  of  one  sort  or  another,  there  is 
a  corresponding  destroying  agency,  the  moth  for  the 
latter  and  rust  for  the  former ;  and  the  destruction 
will  be  sure  and  complete. 

But  there  is  a  further  thought  in  verse  3,  where  we 
read:  “Your  gold  and  silver  is  cankered;  and  the 
rust  of  them,  shall  be  a  witness  against  you,  and  shall 
eat  your  flesh  as  it  were  fire.”  The  idea  here  is  that 
wealth  which  might  have  been  put  to  use  in  the  relief 
of  the  poor  is  allowed  to  rust,  as  it  were  through  dis¬ 
use,  in  the  owner’s  hands.  That  “rust”  of  disuse 
w7ill  be  a  witness  against  him;  and,  moreover,  it  will 
be  to  him  as  a  tormenting  fire.  It  is  evident  that  a 
large  part  of  the  “torment”  of  the  rich  man  in  Luke 
16  was  due  to  the  remorseful  realization  of  his  heart¬ 
less  failure  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  Lazarus.  The 
latter  was  a  brother  Israelite,  and  hence  it  was  the 
duty  of  the  rich  man,  according  to  “Moses  and  the 
prophets,”  to  succour  him  and  meet  his  needs. 

God’s  Indictment  of  the  Rich 

Verses  4-6  contain  a  fearful  indictment  of  the  rich. 
In  the  first  place,  it  is  definitely  charged  that  the  ac- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


117 


cumulation  of  wealth  in  the  hands  of  the  few  is  the 
result  of  systematic  “ fraud’ ’  practiced  upon  the  toil¬ 
ing  masses,  whereby  the  latter  are  deprived  of  a  part 
of  their  “hire.”  This  charge  is  just.  For  though  it 
would  be  too  much  to  say  that  all  rich  men  have 
gained  their  wealth  by  dishonest  practices,  and  by 
taking  unfair  advantage  of  the  laborers,  it  is  never¬ 
theless  true  that  the  existing  economic  system  (called 
in  the  Bible  “Mammon,”  and  in  modern  speech 
“Capitalism”)  is  a  gigantic  “fraud,”  whereby  the 
industry  of  the  entire  “civilized”  world,  embracing 
the  sum  total  of  all  human  activities,  is  held  in  abso¬ 
lute  thraldom  to  “high  finance.”  Such  being  the 
case,  as  (in  the  light  of  Scripture  and  of  nature  as 
well)  it  surely  is,  all  who,  through  the  inequities  of 
the  system  itself,  are  enriched  beyond  the  fair  value 
of  their  own  labor,  are  indirectly  liable  for  the  bene¬ 
fits  they  have  unfairly  derived.  God  has  so  often 
and  so  clearly  declared  His  abhorrence  of  such  unjust 
differences  between  human  beings  who  all  alike  are 
by  nature  guilty,  condemned  and  lost,  as  to  make  cer¬ 
tain  that  He  cannot  but  be  displeased  wherever  a 
man  holds  possession  of  worldly  wealth  while  human 
want  goes  unrelieved.  Even  generous  giving  in  such 
cases  does  not  meet  God’s  demand;  for  He  looks  not 
on  what  one  gives ,  but  on  what  he  withholds  for  him¬ 
self  (M’k.  12:41-44). 

In  Proverbs  22  :16  the  lesson  we  are  now  consider¬ 
ing  is  thus  stated:  “He  that  oppresseth  the  poor  to 
increase  his  riches,  and  he  that  giveth  to  the  rich, 
shall  surely  come  to  want.”  But  James  points  out 
that  all  who  make  gain  through  that  system  which 
automatically  filches  the  wages  of  the  laborers,  are  in¬ 
directly  (though  it  may  be  quite  unconsciously)  op- 


118  JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 

pressing  the  poor.  The  “want”  here  spoken  of  may 
not  come  in  this  life ;  but  come  it  surely  will.  For 
we  have  before  us  these  clear  words,  “Behold,  the  hire 
of  your  labourers,  who  have  reaped  down  your  fields, 
which  is  of  you  kept  back  by  fraud,  crieth ;  and  the 
cries  of  them  which  have  reaped  are  entered  into  the 
ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth”  (hosts). 

Compare  the  words  of  Habakkuk:  “Woe  unto  him 
that  gaineth  an  evil  gain  (marg.)  to  his  house,  that 
he  may  set  his  nest  on  high,  that  he  may  be  delivered 
from  the  power  of  evil” — thus  making  money  his  de¬ 
liverer— “  Behold  it  is  not  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  that 
the  people  shall  labour  in  the  very  fire,  and  the  people 
shall  weary  (or  exhaust)  themselves  for  very  vanity” 
(Hab.  2:9,  13). 

The  “Profiteers” 

Warnings  to  the  rich,  who  oppress  the  poor  and 
make  gain  at  their  expense,  are  found  in  various 
parts  of  the  Bible.  The  tenth  Psalm  speaks  very 
definitely  and  impressively  concerning  those  who 
“persecute  the  poor”  (v.  2).  In  verse  3  we  are  told 
(taking  the  marginal  reading)  that  “The  wicked 
boasteth  of  his  heart’s  desire,  the  covetous  blesseth 
himself,  he  abhorreth  the  Lord.”  We  can  but  ac¬ 
knowledge  the  truth  of  this.  The  covetousness  of  the 
natural  heart  prompts  us  to  the  acquisition  of  money, 
in  order  that  we  may  bless  ourselves,  that  is  to  say, 
may  provide  our  own  pleasures  and  happiness.  This 
sets  God  aside  as  the  Blesser.  It  dispenses  with  His 
blessings ;  and  thus  He  is  ‘  ‘  abhorred.  ’  ’ 

Further  we  read  in  this  Psalm  concerning  the  cove¬ 
tous  man:  “He  hath  said  in  his  heart,  I  shall  not 
be  moved;  for  I  shall  never  be  in  adversity”  (v.  6). 
Thus  he  secretly  counts  upon  his  money  to  protect 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


119 


him,  though  he  would  not  perhaps  openly  avow  it. 
As  Solomon  says,  “The  rich  man’s  wealth  is  his 
strong  city”  (Prov.  10  :15).  In  this  way  again  God  is 
set  aside,  and  money  is  made  an  idol. 

Then  follows  a  description  of  the  fraud,  deceit  and 
craft  whereby  those  who  are  greedy  of  gain  pursue 
their  ends;  and  we  are  reminded  that  it  is  always 
“the  poor”  who  suffer  most;  for  those  who  have  to 
buy  in  the  smallest  quantities  are  compelled  to  pay 
the  highest  prices  (vv.  7-10).  The  former  are,  in  our 
day,  called  “profiteers,”  and  are  often  publicly  de¬ 
nounced  ;  but  no  effective  measures  have  been  devised 
whereby  to  prevent  their  oppressive  doings.  They 
fear  neither  human  justice  nor  divine ;  for  in  their 
heart  they  say,  “God  hath  forgotten;  He  hideth  His 
face;  He  will  never  see  it”  (v.  11).  And  once  more 
we  read  concerning  the  profiteer:  “He  hath  said  in 
his  heart ,  Thou  wilt  not  require  it”  (v.  13).  But 
God’s  Word  declares  that  He  has  “seen”  it,  and  has 
“heard”  the  cry  of  the  poor;  and  that  He  will  re¬ 
quite  them  (vv.  14,17). 

These  warnings  are  for  us,  to  the  end  that  we  may 
watch  continually  against  the  covetousness  of  our 
own  hearts.  It  is  to  His  own  disciples  that  Christ 
says,  “Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetousness”  (Lu. 
12.T5)  ;  and  the  apostle  Paul  warns  those  who  have 
by  faith  died  with  Christ,  and  whose  life  is  hid  with 
Him,  against  “covetousness,  which  is  idolatry”  (Col. 
3:15). 

These  warnings  are  particularly  applicable  to  “the 
last  days,”  wherein  it  is  foretold  that  men  will  be 
“lovers  of  their  own  selves,  covetous,  boasters, 
proud,”  etc.  (2  Tim.  3:1-2). 


120 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


Lovers  of  Pleasures 

Returning  to  James,  the  next  count  in  the  indict¬ 
ment  against  the  rich  is  stated  in  these  words:  “Ye 
have  lived  in  pleasure  in  the  earth  and  been  wanton. ’ 1 
That  sinners  and  rebels  against  God,  who  have  been 
clearly  warned  that  they  are  on  the  road  to  eternal 
woe,  should  nevertheless  possess  themselves  of  means 
whereby  they  may  live  in  pleasure  on  the  earth,  is  an 
exceedingly  grievous  thing  in  God’s  eyes. 

It  has  been  specially  foretold  that,  “in  the  last 
days,”  men  in  general  should  be  “lovers  of  pleasures 
more  than  lovers  of  God”  (2  Tim.  3:1-5). 

This  is  fulfilled  in  what  we  now  see  glaringly  dis¬ 
played  before  our  eyes ;  for  the  people  of  this  gen¬ 
eration  are  mad  after  pleasures  and  amusements  of 
every  description.  Hence  the  exceeding  care  to  be 
exercised  by  all  the  saints,  especially  the  young,  to 
avoid  having  any  part  with  the  pleasure-seekers  of 
these  last  and  perilous  times. 

To  those  who  have  lived  in  pleasure  on  the  earth 
and  been  self-indulgent,  James  says,  “Ye  have  nour¬ 
ished  your  hearts,  as  in  a  day  of  slaughter.”  The 
meaning  of  this  can  be  gathered  by  giving  heed  to  the 
significance  of  the  words  “a  day  of  slaughter”  (see 
Jer.  12:3).  The  thought  is  that  as  one  feeds  up  and 
pampers  an  animal  that  is  soon  to  be  slaughtered, 
even  so  those  who  live  in  self-gratification  and  pleas¬ 
ure-seeking  are,  as  it  were,  nourishing  their  own 
hearts  for  the  judgment  that,  is  soon  to  overtake  them. 

And  the  justice  of  that  judgment  is  manifest  from 
the  last  count  of  this  severe  indictment:  “Ye  have 
condemned,  ye  have  killed  the  just;  and  he  doth  not 
resist  you”  (v.  6). 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


121 


It  inevitably  happens  in  times  of  oppression  that 
those  who  do  not  resist  suffer  even  to  the  loss  of  life. 
But  the  rich  are,  as  a  rule,  callously  indifferent  to  the 
effects  upon  others  of  the  operation  of  a  system  which 
enriches  themselves.  Hence  the  judgment  which 
awaits  them  at  the  hands  of  a  righteous  God  if  they 
continue  in  the  path  of  self-pleasing,  refusing  the 
mercy  He  has  even  for  such.  For  with  God  it  is  pos¬ 
sible  to  save  even  the  rich,  though  it  be  as  difficult  as 
to  make  a  camel  pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle 
(M’k.  10:23-27). 


CHAPTER  X 


The  Coming  of  the  Lord.  The  Patience  of  Job. 

Oaths 

The  gross  inequalities  of  the  last  days,  and  the  evil 
system  which  has  produced  a  few  men  enormously 
rich,  and  a  great  mass  of  people  who  are  wretchedly 
poor,  will  be  brought  to  an  end  by  the  coming  of  the 
Lord.  The  present  social  order  will  continue  till  then. 
Socialism  will  never  be  established.  For  not  only 
does  this  prophecy  of  James  show  the  present  order 
still  in  existence  at  the  time  of  the  end,  but  other 
prophecies  also  show  the  same.  Thus,  among  those 
whom  John  sees  frantically  but  vainly  endeavoring 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,  are  “the  rich 
men”  (Rev.  6  :15).  They  may  before  that  have  a  bad 
fright  through  various  forms  of  anarchy,  as  “Bolshe¬ 
vism”;  but  the  brief  career  of  antichrist  will  be 
characterized  by  the  absolute  control  of  trade  and 
commerce;  for  no  man  will  be  permitted  to  “buy  or 
sell”  save  those  who  have  the  mark  of  the  “Beast” 
(Rev.  13  :16,  17).  It  is  easy  now  to  see  how  this  abso¬ 
lute  control  of  all  kinds  of  traffic  and  its  concentra¬ 
tion  in  a  strong  central  agency  can  be  secured;  for 
the  process  is  already  far  advanced. 

In  view  of  these  things,  James  exhorts  the  people 
of  God  to  be  patient  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  In 
giving  this  exhortation  to  those  saints  who  find  them¬ 
selves  exposed  to  the  stringency  of  the  end  times,  he 
takes  the  same  illustration  used  by  the  Lord  (and 
also  by  John  the  Baptist  and  by  Paul)  to  represent 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


123 


this  present  age,  namely,  the  illustration  of  the  har¬ 
vest  field. 

There  is  a  peculiar  fitness  in  this  illustration,  be¬ 
cause  this  is  the  age  of  Pentecost — the  long  period 
corresponding  to  the  summer  time  in  Palestine,  which 
came  between  the  feast  of  Pentecost  and  that  of 
Trumpets  (Lev.  23).  Our  Lord  is  “the  First-fruits 
of  them  that  slept”  (1  Cor.  15:  20)  ;  and  we  are  “a 
kind  of  first-fruits”  (James  1:18).  All  the  “grass,” 
humanity — the  unregenerate — will  perish  (Jam. 
1:10;  1  Pet.  1:24). 

So  we  believe  there  is  in  the  words  of  James  a 
deeper  meaning  than  appears  on  the  surface:  “Be¬ 
hold,  the  husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit 
of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  until  he 
(it)  receive  the  early  and  latter  rain.  Be  ye  also  pa¬ 
tient;  stablish  your  hearts;  for  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  draweth  nigh”  (vv.  7,  8). 

Taking  this  passage  in  connection  with  the  refer¬ 
ence  to  Elijah’s  prayer  for  rain,  following  a  long 
period  of  dearth  and  drought  (vv.  17,  18),  we  find  in 
it  encouragement  to  expect  and  to  pray  for  a  mani¬ 
festation  of  God’s  working  at  this  time  of  the  end, 
such  as  will,  so  to  speak,  increase  the  yield  and  im¬ 
prove  the  quality  of  ‘  ‘  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth.  ’  ’ 

In  thus  viewing  the  text  we  do  not  overlook  the 
modern  movement  known  as  “  Pentecostalism,  ”  and 
the  application  which  the  leaders  of  that  movement 
make  of  this  passage  and  of  others  which  refer  to  the 
“latter  rain.”  We  are  convinced  that  the  spiritual 
energy  which  has  carried  on  the  so-called  “Pente¬ 
costal”  movement  is  not  of  God;  though  the  situa¬ 
tion  is  confused  by  the  fact  that  many  true  saints  of 
God  have  been  swept  along  by  it,  and,  of  course,  their 


124 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


testimony  and  activities  in  the  gospel  have  produced 
results  which  make  it  appear  as  if  God’s  hand  were 
in  it  to  some  extent.  We  regard  this  movement  as  a 
clever  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  injure  the  saints,  to 
divide  them  further,  and  to  prevent  them  from  recog¬ 
nizing  the  hand  of  God  when  He  does  begin  to  work. 
To  this  end  he  would  deceive  the  unwary  by  means  of 
spurious  “signs,”  and  would  stumble  others  by  the 
extravagancies  of  doctrine  and  behaviour  which  have 
characterized  the  movement  from  the  beginning. 

In  the  strict,  historical  sense  of  the  word  we  can¬ 
not  expect  a  second  “ Pentecost,”  any  more  than  a 
second  Bethlehem,  or  a  second  Calvary.  Pentecost 
was  an  historical  event —  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spir¬ 
it  from  heaven  to  earth,  here  to  abide  throughout  the 
age.  It  will  not  occur  again.  But  there  is  nothing 
to  forbid  the  expectation  that  there  will  be  special 
manifestations  of  the  working  of  God’s  Spirit  in  the 
times  of  the  end. 

Nor  do  we  see  in  the  Scriptures  anything  to  indi¬ 
cate  that  the  close  of  the  age  will  be  characterized  by 
signs  and  miracles  such  as  were  wrought  “by  the 
hands  of  the  apostles”  (Acts  5:12),  and  which  Paul 
called  “the  signs  of  an  apostle”  (2  Cor.  12:12).  We 
have  no  more  warrant,  so  far  as  we  can  see,  to  look 
for  the  signs  of  the  apostles,  than  we  have  to  look  for 
the  apostles  themselves. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Scriptures  repeatedly  warn 
of  spurious  signs  and  wonders  which  are  to  appear  at 
the  time  of  the  end,  and  in  such  connections  as  likely 
to  deceive  the  very  elect  (2  Thess.  2:6;  Rev.  13:14). 
Hence  manifestations  of  that  sort  should  rather  ex¬ 
cite  our  suspicion  than  gain  our  confidence.  The 
miracles  whereby  God  “gave  testimony  unto  the 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


125 


word  of  His  grace”  (Acts  14:3),  when  that  word  was 
as  yet  unwritten,  and  when  such  attestation  was  ob¬ 
viously  needed,  are  not  to  be  expected  again.  He 
would  be  a  rash  man  indeed  who  would  presume  in 
any  way  to  limit  the  workings  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
but  we  are  bound  to  take  note  of  the  fact  that  mira¬ 
cles  were  wrought  at  the  beginning  to  attest  the  new 
message,  the  Word  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  messengers 
who  brought  it,  as  coming  from  God.  We,  however, 
have  received  it  as  a  fully  attested  Word,  needing  no 
further  proof  to  establish  its  Divine  origin. 

The  operations  of  the  Spirit  in  apostolic  times  were 
all  with  the  definite  object  of  building  up  the  saints, 
and  of  empowering  them  to  live  together  in  the  unity 
of  the  Spirit  and  the  bond  of  peace,  to  manifest  love 
one  to  another,  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Sa¬ 
viour  in  all  things,  and  to  shine  as  lights  in  the  world 
holding  forth  the  Word  of  life. 

Therefore,  if,  following  the  present  period  of  pro¬ 
tracted  spiritual  drought,  there  should  be  a  season  of 
special  reviving  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  an¬ 
swering  to  the  “latter  rain,”  we  should  expect  it  to  be 
manifested  in  individual  godliness,  separation  from 
the  world,  a  drawing  together  of  those  who  are  truly 
the  Lord’s  and  are  looking  for  Him,  and  in  a  word, 
a  repetition  of  the  conditions  described  in  Acts  2  :42- 
47.  And  along  with  this  there  would  be  a  great  re¬ 
vival  of  true  Gospel-effort,  resulting  in  many  being 
saved  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  in  being  healed  of 
their  diseases.  Such  things  would  be  not  in  the  na¬ 
ture  of  “signs”  to  prove  that  the  Gospel  is  Divine 
(for  we  insist  that  the  proof  thereof  is  complete), 
but  merely  the  normal  results  of  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  the 


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JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


salvation  of  God  is  a  complete  salvation,  meeting  the 
needs  of  the  complete  man — spirit,  soul  and  body. 

The  Patience  of  Job 

In  connection  with  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  end 
the  oppression  of  the  poor  saints,  a  warning  is  given 
that  He  Who  is  soon  to  appear  will  judge  all  our 
works  (v.  9).  And  then  the  subject  of  patience  in 
the  presence  of  trials,  with  which  the  Epistle  began, 
is  taken  up  again  (vv.  10,  11). 

Here  we  meet  the  familiar  words:  “Behold  we 
count  them  happy  which  endure.  Ye  have  heard  of 
the  patience  of  Job,  and  have  seen  the  end  of  the 
Lord ;  that  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful,  and  of  tender  mer¬ 
cy”  (v.  11).  The  word  “patience”  connects  this 
verse  with  the  exhortation  of  verses  7  and  8,  “Be 
patient,  therefore,  brethren,”  “Be  ye  also  patient.” 

“Patience”  is  that  virtue  whereby  its  possessor  is 
enabled  to  endure  the  severest  trials  with  resignation 
and  quiet  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  It  involves 
also  a  recognition  of  God’s  hand  and  purpose  in  the 
trials,  and  a  determination  to  wait  for  His  purpose 
therein  to  be  accomplished.  Trials  are  not  generally 
regarded  as  a  source  of  happiness;  and  therefore  it 
needs  faith,  and  an  understanding  of  the  purpose  of 
God ’s  dealings  to  ‘  ‘  count  them  happy  which  endure. 1 1 
It  is  more  natural  to  count  them  happy  which  escape 
trials,  and  to  count  those  who  undergo  trials  as  un¬ 
happy. 

In  this  instance  the  tried  ones  are  encouraged  by 
the  assurance  that  God  has  a  definite  “end”  or  pur¬ 
pose  in  all  the  afflictions  which  befall  His  people. 
Moreover,  “the  end  of  the  Lord”  is  always  for  their 
ultimate  good ;  and  it  is  so  greatly  to  be  desired  that 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


127 


they  who  endure  tribulations  are  even  to  be  counted 
“happy.”  And  thus  it  would  be  if  we  really  be¬ 
lieved  the  Word  of  God  concerning  these  very  com¬ 
mon  experiences,  “whereof  all  are  partakers”  (Heb. 
12:8).  But  as  a  general  rule  we  count  them  happy 
who  have  no  trials  and  afflictions,  and  them  unhappy 
who  have  to  endure  experiences  of  that  sort. 

In  this  connection  James  gives  us  a  short  but  very 
illuminating  commentary  on  Job.  It  is  the  more 
worthy  of  careful  study,  because  it  is  the  only  refer¬ 
ence  to  Job  (except  the  mention  of  his  name  in  Eze¬ 
kiel  14:14,  20)  in  the  other  Scriptures.  It  seems  that 
the  book  of  Job  has  been  given  us  in  order  mainly 
to  reveal  God’s  purpose  in  permitting  afflictions  to 
befall  His  people.  And  this  is  with  the  double  ob¬ 
ject  of,  first,  encouraging  them  to  endure  the  trial 
with  patience,  and  second  to  teach  us  that  we  must 
not  allow  visitations  of  this  sort  to  make  us  doubt  or 
question  the  fact  that  the  Lord  is  always  “very  piti¬ 
ful  and  of  tender  mercy.”* 

It  appears  from  the  Scriptures,  and  is  also  a  mat¬ 
ter  of  common  experience,  that  the  chastenings  of  the 
Lord  usually  take  the  form  of  bodily  sicknesses. 
Hence  we  find  in  this  exceedingly  practical  Epistle 
of  James  the  complete  teaching  that  we  need  for  all 
cases  of  sickness  among  the  Lord’s  people.  In  verse 
11  is  the  purpose  to  be  accomplished  by  them ;  and  in 
verses  14-16  are  the  directions  to  be  followed  by  the 
people  of  God.  To  these  we  refer  below. 

Job  might,  in  his  sickness,  have  resorted  to  the 
physicians  of  his  day,  and  conceivably  they  might 
have  healed  him  of  his  disease.  But  what  a  loss  that 

*  For  a  further  discussion  of  this  passage  see  the  Editor’s 
booklet  “The  Diseases  of  Egypt.” 


128 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


would  have  been  to  him,  and  to  all  subsequent  gen¬ 
erations  !  For  neither  he  nor  they  would,  in  that 
case,  “have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord”  in  His  deal¬ 
ings  with  that  “righteous”  man.  Nor  would  we  ever 
“have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job.”  Happily  for 
him  and  for  us,  Job  took  his  afflictions  as  from  the 
Lord,  and  did  not  seek  aid  from  the  skill  of  man  to 
escape  from  them.  Not  until  “that  day”  will  it  be 
known  how  much  the  people  of  God  have  lost  in  fol¬ 
lowing  the  example  of  King  Asa  (2  Chr.  16 :12)  as  is 
commonly  done,  instead  of  that  of  Job  and  other 
men  of  faith.  For  it  is  a  most  significant  and  illumi¬ 
nating  fact  that  the  Bible  gives  us  but  two  cases,  in 
all  the  history  of  the  people  of  God,  of  a  resort  to 
medical  doctors  for  healing,  that  of  King  Asa  in  the 
Old  Testament,  and  that  of  the  diseased  woman  who 
“suffered  many  things  of  many  physicians,  and  had 
spent  all  that  she  had,  and  was  nothing  bettered  but 
rather  grew  worse”  (Mk.  5:26).  How  different,  and 
how  blessed,  with  all  who  put  their  trust  in  the  Lord 
as  their  Healer! 

Oaths 

At  this  point  James  gives  a  commandment  which 
is  evidently  very  important  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord, 
for  it  is  introduced  by  the  words  “above  all  things” 
(v.  12)  :  “But  above  all  things,  my  brethren,  swear 
not,  neither  by  heaven,  neither  by  the  earth,  neither 
by  any  other  oath ;  but  let  your  yea  be  yea,  and  your 
nay,  nay;  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation”  (lit.  “un¬ 
der  judgment”). 

Here  again  James  follows  closely  the  teaching  of 
Christ  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  where  we  read: 
“Again  ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said  by  (or 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


129 


to)  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself, 
but  shalt  perform  unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths;  But  7 
say  unto  you'*,  Swear  not  at  all;  neither  by  heaven; 
for  it  is  God ’s  throne ;  nor  by  the  earth ;  for  it  is  His 
footstool;  neither  by  Jerusalem;  for  it  is  the  city  of 
the  Great  King.  Neither  shalt  thou  swear  by  thy  head, 
because  thou  canst  not  make  one  hair  white  or  black. 
But  let  your  communication  be  Yea,  yea;  Nay,  nay; 
for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these,  cometh  of  evil’' 
(Matt.  5:33-37). 

These  commandments  are  clear,  positive,  and  com¬ 
prehensive,  covering  every  sort  and  manner  of  swear¬ 
ing,  whether  for  judicial  purposes,  or  any  other.  Yet 
they  have  been  most  flagrantly  disobeyed,  and  still 
are,  by  the  great  majority  of  professed  “Christians.” 
Is  it  any  wonder  there  are  “many  sick  among  us,” 
and  that  “many  sleep”?  And  may  we  not  see  in  this 
a  reason  why  sickness  among  the  people  of  God  is  the 
next  subject  dealt  with  in  this  Epistle  ?  Inasmuch  as 
the  words,  “lest  ye  fall  under  judgment,”  are  fol¬ 
lowed  by  directions  concerning  sickness,  we  have  an 
indication  of  the  form  God’s  “judgment”  will  ordi¬ 
narily  take.  The  same  word  “judgment’  is  used  in 
connection  with  the  sicknesses  of  saints  in  1  Cor. 
11 :30,  31.  This  is  very  significant. 

The  fact  is  that  the  times  in  which  we  are  living 
are  characterized  by  the  profuse  use  of  oaths,  in 
judicial,  official,  and  business  proceedings;  and  what 
is  usually  involved  in  those  proceedings  is  money. 
(Here  is  another  link  between  this  subject  and  what 
goes  before.)  Thus  the  holy  Name  of  God  is  pro- 

*“God  Who  spoke  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the 
prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  His 
Son”  (Heb.  1:1,  2). 


130 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


faned  and  prostituted  to  the  basest  and  most  sordid 
ends.  Men  who  do  not  fear  God  would  nevertheless 
use  His  Name  to  further  their  worldly  interests,  and 
would  invoke  His  judgment  against  a  fellow-sinner; 
and  those  who  have  no  reverence  for  the  Word  of  God 
would  employ  it  to  force  some  other  liar  to  tell  the 
truth  in  a  matter  wherein  he  is  financially  interested. 
This  is  a  wickedness  which  that  same  Bible,  on  which 
witnesses  are  sworn  in  court,  most  positively  forbids. 
And  shall  not  God  visit  for  this?  And  shall  not  His 
own  people,  who  have  grievously  disobeyed  in  this 
matter,  suffer  for  it  unless  they  repent  and  amend 
their  ways? 

But  we  would  here  raise  a  solemn  question  for  the 
“many  teachers”  to  consider.  How  many  of  them 
have  taught  the  people  of  God  the  wickedness  of  tak¬ 
ing  oaths  ?  How  many  of  them,  on  the  contrary,  have 
encouraged  them  to  sin  against  God  in  this  way  by 
teaching  that  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and  the  Epis¬ 
tle  of  James  are  “Jewish”?  And  what  excuse  can 
they  offer,  in  view  of  the  Lord’s  plain  words  which 
we  have  just  quoted?  For  let  it  be  specially  noticed 
that  whereas  the  Jews  were  permitted  by  the  Law  to 
bind  themselves  with  oaths,  the  Lord,  in  citing  that 
very  fact,  says  “But  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not  at  all,” 
thus  drawing  the  clearest  line  in  this  respect  between 
the  Jewish  and  Christian  dispensations.  If  we  had 
nothing  more  than  these  passages  relating  to  oaths, 
we  would  have  in  them  alone  the  clearest  proof  that 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and  the  Epistle  of  James 
belong  to  this  present  dispensation. 

Commenting  on  Matthew  5 :33-38,  Charles  H.  Spur¬ 
geon  says : 

“ False  swearing  was  forbidden  of  old;  but  every 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


131 


kind  of  swearing*  is  forbidden  now  by  the  Word  of  our 
Lord  Jesus.  He  mentions  several  forms  of  oath  and 
forbids  them  all;  and  then  prescribes  simple  forms 
of  affirmation  or  denial,  as  all  that  His  followers 
should  employ.  Notwithstanding  much  that  may  be 
advanced  to  the  contrary,  there  is  no  evading  the 
plain  sense  of  this  passage  that  every  sort  of  oath, 
however  solemn  or  true,  is  forbidden  to  a  follower  of 
Jesus.  Whether  in  court  of  law  or  out  of  it,  the  rule 
is  ‘Swear  not  at  all.’  Yet  in  this  ‘Christian’  coun¬ 
try  we  have  swearing  everywhere,  and  especially 
among  the  lawmakers.  Our  legislators  begin  their 
official  existence  by  swearing.  By  those  who  obey  the 
law  of  the  Saviour’s  Kingdom,  all  swearing  is  set 
aside,  that  the  simple  word  of  affirmation  or  denial, 
calmly  repeated,  may  remain  as  the  simple  bond  of 
truth.  .  .  .  Christians  should  not  yield  to  an  evil  cus¬ 
tom,  however  great  the  pressure  put  upon  them ;  but 
they  should  abide  by  the  plain  and  unmistakable 
command  of  their  Lord  and  King.” 

Mr.  D.  M.  Panton  has  said : 

“The  new  Lawgiver,  superseding  Moses,  wholly  re¬ 
scinds  the  Mosaic  legislation  on  Oaths.  He  throws  the 
two  legislative  enactments  into  sharp  and  studied 
contrast: — ‘It  was  said  to  them  of  old  time  (by 
Jehovah:  Num.  xxx.  1,  2),  Thou  shalt  perform  unto 
the  Lord  thine  oaths ;  but  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not.  ’ 
All  vain  and  rash  oaths,  all  profanity,  was  already 
forbidden  by  the  Law  of  Moses: — ‘Ye  shall  not  swear 
by  My  name  falsely,  neither  shalt  thou  profane  the 
name  of  thy  God’  (Lev.  xix.  12)  :  it  was  solemn  and 
judicial  oaths  which  the  Law  enforced  in  the  quota 
tion  made  by  our  Lord,  and  it  is  these  which  Christ 
forbids.  Thus,  so  far  from  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
being  ‘Jewish,’  it  actually  forbids  what  the  Law  com¬ 
manded;  it  forbids  it  on  the  ground  that  it  is  incon¬ 
sistent  with  Grace,  that  is,  on  Christian  ground;  and 
the  Sermon  has  never  been  accepted,  and  never  will 
be,  by  any  Jew  except  such  as  become  Christians:  it 
is  characteristically  and  fundamentally  Christian.” 


132 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


“The  oath  is  the  crux  of  allegiance  to  world-pow¬ 
ers  ;  it  shackles  Christian  liberty ;  and  in  the  case  of 
oaths  of  obedience,  the  believer  unlawfully  abdicates 
his  responsibility :  it  is  alien,  together  with  all  vows, 
from  simple  dependence  on  the  Holy  Spirit;  it  binds 
the  evil  conscience,  but  it  is  superfluous  to  the 
cleansed  and  truth-loving  soul.  ’  ’ 


CHAPTER  XI 

Directions  for  Affliction  and  Sickness 

In  verse  13  practical  directions  are  given  for  the 
two  opposite  states  of  affliction  and  cheerfulness.  “Is 
any  among  you  afflicted?”  (i.  e.,  enduring  evil)  “let 
him  pray.  Is  any  merry?  let  him  sing  psalms.”  It 
is  recognized  that  the  saints,  while  on  earth,  are  tc 
have  varied  experiences  of  joy  and  sorrow.  But  in 
all  seasons  there  should  be  an  appropriate  outflow  of 
the  heart  to  God.  Affliction  should  draw  them  near 
to  Him  in  prayer ;  and  doubtless  it  is  often  permitted 
with  a  view  to  awakening  in  our  forgetful  hearts  a 
sense  of  our  need  of  Him.  On  the  other  hand,  a  sea 
son  of  joy  should  call  forth  special  expressions  of 
praise.  The  word  here  rendered  “sing  psalms”  is 
found  in  Ephesians  5:19,  where  it  is  rendered,  “mak¬ 
ing  melody.  ’  ’  It  signifies  broadly  the  giving  forth  of 
expressions  of  praise,  especially  by  singing. 

Among  the  afflictions  to  which  the  people  of  God 
are  liable,  sickness  is  the  most  common;  and  hence  it 
is  here  singled  out  for  special  mention.  In  a  similar 
passage  in  1  John  5:14-16,  where  the  general  subject 
is  prayer,  the  special  instance  selected  as  an  occasion 
when  we  are  to  resort  to  prayer  is  the  sickness  of  a 
fellow  saint;  and  in  both  passages  we  are  reminded 
that  sickness  and  sin  are  closely  related.  This  gives 
special  prominence  to  the  subject  of  sickness,  not¬ 
withstanding  which  God’s  way  in  sickness  is  ignored 
by  most  of  those  who  profess  His  Name,  to  their  great 
loss,  both  of  blessing  now,  and  of  reward  hereafter. 

In  1  John  5:16  the  word  is,  “If  any  man  see  his 


134 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not  unto  death,  he  shall 
ash,  and  He  shall  give  him  life  for  them  that  sin  not 
unto  death.”  Here  we  have  the  duty  of  the  individ¬ 
ual  to  pray  for  the  recovery  of  a  fellow  saint,  even 
where  his  sickness  is  a  chastening  for  sin ;  and,  along 
with  the  command  to  pray,  God  gives  His  promise  to 
hear  and  heal.  John,  in  his  first  epistle,  does  not  re¬ 
fer  to  the  church  and  its  duty,  in  case  one  of  its  mem¬ 
bers  is  sick,  but  speaks  only  of  the  duty  of  the  in¬ 
dividual.  But  James  gives  the  duty  of  the  church  of 
which  the  sick  one  is  a  member.  We  read,  “Is  any 
sick  among  you?  let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the 
church;  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him 
with  oil  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord.  And  the  prayer  of 
faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him 
up ;  and  if  he  have  committed  sins  they  shall  be  for¬ 
given  him”  (vv.  14,  15). 

These  directions  take  for  granted  that  the  people 
of  God  are,  as  they  should  be,  gathered  together  as  a 
church  of  God.  This  essential  matter  being  assumed 
Jand  the  Scriptures  contemplate  nothing  else)  the 
passage  is  quite  simple.  For,  as  we  should  indeed  ex¬ 
pect,  there  is  nothing  in  it  that  is  not  easily  compre¬ 
hended  by  the  most  unlearned  saint.  That  the  com¬ 
mandment  here  given  should  have  been  corrupted  by 
the  false  ‘  ‘  church,  ’  ’  and  that  it  should  have  been  whol¬ 
ly  cast  aside  by  those  who  have  departed  from  the  New 
Testament  pattern  of  “the  churches  of  God,”  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at.  Nevertheless,  through  the  good¬ 
ness  of  the  Lord,  the  pattern  of  the  church  (in  the 
local  sense)  yet  remains,  including  this  exceedingly 
valuable  and  practical  feature  of  it,  so  that  they  who 
will  to  walk  in  God’s  ways  can  do  so,  and  can  enjoy 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


135 


the  unspeakable  benefits  that  are  always  found  in  the 
path  of  obedience. 

It  should  be  observed  that  the  first  step  is  to  be 
taken  by  the  sick  one.  “Let  him  call  for  the  elders  of 
the  church.”  His  “call”  for  the  elders  puts  upon 
them  the  responsibility  of  acting  “in  the  Name  of  the 
Lord,”  in  obedience  to  the  simple  instructions  here 
given.  It  is  assumed  that  the  sick  one  will  have 
sought,  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  to  know  if  his 
sickness  is  a  chastening  for  sin ;  as  it  generally  is,  but 
not  always  (see  2  Cor.  12:4-11;  Phil.  2:29).  If  so,  he 
will  have  confessed  it  to  the  Lord,  and,  if  the  circum¬ 
stances  call  for  it,  will  be  ready  to  confess  it  also  to 
his  brethren.  This  is  specially  contemplated  by  the 
words  of  verse  16,  “Confess  your  faults  one  to  an¬ 
other,  and  pray  one  for  another  that  ye  may  be 
healed.” 

It  has  been  argued  by  some,  who  wish  to  set  this 
passage  aside,  that  the  words  “let  him,”  “let  them,” 
are  only  permissive,  and  do  not  have  the  force  of  a 
command.  But  this  is  an  error.  The  English  lan¬ 
guage  is  defective  in  having  no  form  to  represent  the 
imperative  mood  in  the  third  person ;  so  we  have  the 
weak  substitute  or  makeshift  “let  him,”  let  them,” 
as  in  the  words  “let  not  sin  reign  in  your  mortal  bod¬ 
ies,”  “let  brotherly  love  continue,”  “let  every  soul 
be  subject  unto  the  higher  powers,”  etc.  The  mood 
here  is  the  imperative. 

Sins  and  Sickness 

It  is  important  to  note  the  close  connection  in  these 
Scriptures  between  sins  and  sickness  among  the  peo¬ 
ple  of  God.  This  connection  appears  in  many  other 
Scriptures  also,  and  is  observable  as  well  in  common 


136 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


experience,  which  shows  ns  that  wrongdoings  are  fre¬ 
quently  followed  by  bodily  ailments.  The  passage  in 

I  John  5  :16  is  very  strong;  because  it  is  there  taken  as 
a  matter  of  course  that  sin  in  a  believer  (a  “broth¬ 
er”)  will  be  visited  by  loss  of  life  or  of  health;  and 
for  that  very  reason  it  lays  upon  every  saint  who  may 
have  knowledge  of  the  sin  the  duty  of  asking  that  the 
life  of  the  erring  brother  be  spared.  Moreover,  with 
this  command  is  coupled  the  encouraging  promise  that 
the  prayer,  when  offered  in  obedience  to  the  com¬ 
mand,  shall  be  heard:  “He  shall  ask,  and  He  (God) 
shall  give  him  life,” — provided  only  that  the  sin  be 
not  of  so  grave  a  character  (as  in  Acts  5:4;  1  Cor. 

II  :30)  as  to  be  “unto  death.” 

Likewise  in  James  5:15  the  words,  “and  if  he  have 
committed  sins  they  shall  be  forgiven  him,”  point  to 
the  connection  between  sins  and  sicknesses,  though 
they  imply  (what  other  Scriptures  clearly  declare) 
that  sickness  is  not  always  due  to  some  wrongdoing  of 
the  sick  one. 

These  passages  in  James  and  1  John  give  the  Lord’s 
commands  to  His  people  in  this  gospel-dispensation 
touching  the  exceedingly  important  subject  of  sick¬ 
ness.  Those  who  sweep  them  away,  whether  on  the 
ground  that  they  are  “Jewish”  or  upon  any  other 
pretext,  and  who  “teach  men  so,”  take  upon  them¬ 
selves  an  appalling  responsibility.  For  in  so  doing 
they  leave  the  household  of  faith  without  any  direc¬ 
tions  at  all  for  their  sicknesses.  And  this  is  indeed 
the  object  of  such  teaching,  to  the  end  that  the  saints 
may  feel  easy  in  their  consciences  while  seeking  help 
and  deliverance  through  the  agencies  developed  and 
trusted  by  the  world. 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


137 


None  Other  Name 

Prominence  is  given  by  James  to  “the  Name  of  the 
Lord”  as  putting  before  us  the  One  in  Whose  Name 
— that  is,  by  Whose  authority — sins  are  forgiven  and 
sicknesses  are  healed.  Thus  when  the  lame  man  was 
healed  by  Peter  and  John  the  Temple  authorities  de¬ 
manded  to  know  “by  what  Name”  it  had  been  done. 
This  points  to  the  great  foundation  truth  of  the  Gos¬ 
pel  that  only  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  is  their  pow¬ 
er  from  God  to  deal  with  sins  and  sickness. 

We  would  naturally  recall,  in  this  connection,  the 
words  of  Psalm  103:2,  3:  “Bless  the  LORD,  0  my 
soul,  and  forget  not  all  His  benefits;  Who  forgiveth 
all  thine  iniquities;  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases 
Also  the  words  of  Christ  in  healing  the  paralytic : 
“But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins  (then  saitli  He  to  the 
sick  of  the  palsy)  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go 
unto  thine  house”  (Mat.  9:6). 

The  same  “power”  that  forgives  sins  is  needed, 
and  is  promised,  for  the  healing  of  diseases,  the  lat¬ 
ter  being  the  outward  effect  and  the  former  the  in¬ 
ward  effect  of  the  same  cause.  For,  as  the  cause  is 
one,  the  remedy  is  one.  It  follows  that  any  teaching 
which  would  “postpone”  the  promise  of  healing  by 
the  direct  action  of  God,  in  response  to  the  obedience 
of  faith,  would  equally  avail  to  postpone  also  the 
promise  of  forgiveness  of  sins.  God  has  joined  these 
two  together ;  let  us  not  presume  to  put  them  asunder. 

That  power  is  inseparably  connected — both  for  His 
glory,  and  for  our  good — with  the  Name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Moreover,  whatsoever  is  done  “in  the  Name 
of  the  Lord”  is  done  by  His  authority.  This  may  be 


138 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


readily  understood  by  reference  to  the  question  put 
by  the  priests  and  rulers  to  Peter  and  John  concern¬ 
ing  the  healing  of  the  impotent  man,  to  which  we  have 
already  referred.  What  they  demanded  to  know 
was,  “By  what  power,  or  by  what  name ,  have  ye  done 
this?”  Peter’s  answer  was,  “Be  it  known  unto  you 
all,  and  to  all  the  people  of  Israel,  that,  by  the  Name 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  Whom  ye  crucified, 
Whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  doth  this  man  stand 
here  before  you  whole.” 

That  Name  and  that  power,  which  have  not 
changed,  are  now  lodged  with  the  churches  of  God, 
whose  elders  are  commanded  to  act  therein  for  the 
benefit  of  “any”  who  are  “sick”  among  the  people 
of  God,  and  who  “call”  for  them.  The  responsibility 
of  the  sick  one  is  to  “call  for  the  elders  of  the 
church,”  and  it  then  becomes  their  responsibility  to 
carry  out  the  command  of  this  Scripture  for  the  ben¬ 
efit  of  the  sick  one. 

The  words  “and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up”  im¬ 
ply  that  the  sickness  is  of  a  nature  to  cause  prostra¬ 
tion,  that  is,  an  illness  of  a  serious  character. 

The  anointing  with  oil  is  a  symbolic  action,  bring¬ 
ing  to  mind  the  fact  that  the  mortal  bodv  of  the  be- 
liever  is  ‘  ‘  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ’  ’  and  that  its 
“members”  have  been  set  free  from  the  service  of 
sin,  and  consecrated  to  the  service  of  God  (1  Cor. 
6:19,  20;  Rom.  6:13;  12:1,  2).  No  healing  virtue,  or 
virtue  of  any  sort,  is  ascribed  to  the  oil. 

The  Prayer  of  Faith 

11  The  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick.”  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  from  these  words  that  “the  prayer 
of  faith”  is  some  special  and  peculiar  kind  of  prayer, 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


139 


such  that  only  certain  persons,  specially  endowed, 
can  offer  it.  It  is  clear  that  “the  elders  of  the 
church,”  whosoever  they  may  be,  are  required  and 
expected  to  carry  out  these  simple  instructions,  in¬ 
cluding  the  praying  of  “the  prayer  of  faith.”  In 
fact  any  and  all  prayer  which  is  not  the  outcome  of 
faith  is  not  prayer  at  all,  howsoever  excellent  may  be 
its  form  or  object.  What  the  words,  “of  faith,” 
point  to,  is  the  great  lesson  of  chapter  2,  according  to 
which  lesson,  faith  without  works  is  dead.  One  of 
the  “works”  of  real  or  live  faith  is  prayer ;  and  that 
is  what  is  called  for  in  this  case.  To  the  same  effect 
are  the  words  of  chapter  1:6,  “But  let  him  ask  in 
faith ,  nothing  wavering”  (or  doubting).  Faith  is 
simply  acting  in  trustful  obedience  to  the  Word  of 
God.  Hence,  when  the  elders  act  in  obedience  to  this 
Word  of  the  Lord  they  are  praying  the  prayer  of 
faith. 

The  words  of  1  John  5  :16,  to  which  we  have  already 
made  reference,  show  plainly  that  the  prayer  of  faith 
is  simply  the  prayer  which  is  offered  in  obedience  to 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord.  His  command  is  “he 
shall  ask,”  and  hence,  when  anyone  acts  in  obedience 
to  that  commandment,  he  is  offering  the  prayer  of 
faith.  There  are,  however,  some  in  our  day  who 
would  set  aside  James  5  :14,  15  on  the  ground  that  it 
requires,  for  carrying  it  out,  faith  of  some  special 
kind  which  is  not  to  be  expected  of  the  saints  in  these 
times.  But  if  there  is  no  faith  to  pray  for  the  sick 
in  obedience  to  a  plain  command,  how  can  there  be 
faith  for  any  kind  of  prayer?  (For  verse  16  con¬ 
tains  the  express  command,  “pray  one  for  another 
that  ye  may  be  healed.”)  Is  it  any  wonder,  when 
such  views  as  these  are  allowed  to  find  expression  and 


140 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


acceptance  in  many  quarters,  that  much  of  what 
passes  for  “prayer”  is  merely  the  routine  perform¬ 
ance  of  a  pious  exercise,  a  mere  putting  together  of 
well  worn  phrases — often  indeed  with  admirable  skill 
and  neatness-— but  without  any  real  laying  hold  of  the 
promises  of  God  by  faith,  and  without  any  real  heart- 
confidence  in  His  faithfulness? 

We  heartily  agree  with  what  was  said  by  that  man 
of  faith,  George  Mueller,  on  this  subject : 

“Some  say,  ‘Oh,  I  shall  never  have  the  gift  of 
faith  Mr.  Mueller  has  got.  He  has  the  gift  of 
faith.  ’  This  is  the  greatest  mistake — it  is  a  great 
error-— there  is  not  a  particle  of  truth  in  it.  My 
faith  is  just  the  same  kind  of  faith  that  all  of 
God’s  children  have  had.  It  is  the  same  kind 
that  Simon  Peter  had,  and  all  Christians  may  ob¬ 
tain  the  like  faith.  My  faith  is  their  faith, 
though  there  may  be  more  of  it  because  my  faith 
has  been  a  little  more  developed  by  exercise  than 
theirs ;  but  their  faith  is  precisely  the  faith  I 
exercise,  only,  with  regard  to  the  degree,  mine 
may  be  more  strongly  exercised.” 

We  would  here  declare  our  deep  conviction  that  it 
is  by  bodily  sicknesses,  more  than  by  any  other  trial, 
that  the  saints  of  God,  and  those  who  claim  to  be  such, 
are  tested  as  to  the  reality  of  their  faith.  If  the 
writer  of  these  lines  had  not  found  it  possible,  in  ex¬ 
treme  bodily  sickness,  to  trust  himself  and  those  dear 
to  Him  to  God’s  care,  using  only  the  “means”  which 
He  has  appointed,  he  could  not  be  sure  he  was  really 
trusting  Him  at  all,  or  for  anything.  The  apostle 
Peter  writes  to  the  children  of  God  saying  that  the 
trial  of  their  faith  is  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


141 


which  perisheth  (1  Pet.  1:7).  This  tells  us  that  faith 
is  a  thing  which  God  tries  or  tests.  But  He  can  try 
it  only  where  it  exists.  Suppose  the  test  comes,  and 
we  act  under  it  according  to  the  ways  of  the  unbeliev¬ 
ing  world?  How  is  our  “faith”  manifested?  And 
how  can  we  be  sure  we  have  real  faith  in  God  at  all  ? 
It  is  both  significant  and  appropriate  that  the  com¬ 
mands  by  which,  more  than  by  any  other,  the  faith  of 
God’s  professed  people  is  tried,  should  come  to  them 
through  that  servant  of  Christ  (James)  who  was  in¬ 
spired  to  instruct  them  as  to  what  real  “faith”  is. 
And  since,  as  we  have  already  stated,  true  faith  con¬ 
sists  in  simply  taking  God  at  His  word,  and  doing  as 
He  has  said,  it  may  well  be  that  this  passage  has  been 
given  in  order,  among  other  purposes,  to  test  the 
faith  of  God’s  people  in  regard  to  a  matter  wherein 
the  natural  heart  finds  it  so  easy  to  seek  unto  the  arm 
of  flesh  and  to  put  its  trust  in  human  expedients. 

That  the  test  furnished  by  this  passage,  which  tells 
God’s  people  what  they  are  to  do  when  “any”  are 
sick  among  them,  is  one  from  which  the  heart  of  man 
instinctively  shrinks,  is  made  evident  by  the  various 
reasons  and  arguments  that  have  been  advanced  in 
the  effort  to  show  that  this  important  passage  of 
Scripture  is  “not  for  us.”  But  we  are  at  a  loss  to 
conceive  how  any  who  assume  to  teach  the  people  of 
God  can  hope  to  be  excused  for  misunderstanding 
and  misapplying  the  meaning  of  words  so  plain  as 
these :  “Is  any  sick  among  you” ;  or  of  these,  “let  him 
call  for  the  elders  of  the  church.”  The  word  “you” 
cannot  possibly  refer  to  any  but  those  of  whom  James 
says  that  ‘  ‘  Of  His  own  will  begat  He  us  with  the  word 
of  truth”  (1:18);  and  the  meaning  of  the  words 


142 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


“the  elders  of  the  church7’  is  not  reasonably  open  to 
dispute  (see  Acts  20:17). 

We  are  much  concerned  because  of  the  suffering 
which  the  saints  have  sustained  in  consequence  of 
their  neglect  of  God’s  provisions  for  His  sick  ones, 
and  their  failure  to  follow  His  plain  directions.  And 
we  are  concerned  also  for  those  teachers  who  have 
taken  upon  themselves  the  grave  responsibility  of 
teaching  God’s  people  to  set  those  directions  aside, 
and  to  resort  instead  to  human  “remedies”  (so 
called).  For  our  part,  whatever  the  present  conse¬ 
quences  may  be,  as  we  desire  to  be  pure  from  the  blood 
of  all  men,  we  shun  not  to  declare  all  the  counsel  of 
God  (Acts  20:26,  27).  Furthermore,  having  walked 
in  this  narrow  way  of  faith  and  obedience  for  a  score 
of  vears,  we  can  unreservedlv  commend  it  to  our  fel- 
low  saints ;  and  can  bear  testimony  that  ‘  ‘  He  is  faith¬ 
ful  Which  promised.” 

The  Prayer  of  Faith  Shall  Save 

The  following  note,  taken  from  Alford’s  Greek 
New  Testament  on  the  above  words  (James  5:15)  is 
worthy  of  our  attention : 

“Clearfy  here,  considering  that  the  forgive¬ 
ness  of  sins  is  separately  stated  afterwards, 
sosei  can  only  be  used  of  corporeal  healing,  not  of 
the  salvation  of  the  soul.  This  has  not  always 
been  recognized.  James  is  enforcing  the  efficacy 
of  the  prayer  of  faith  in  afflictions  (v.  13).  Of 
such  efficacy  he  adduces  one  special  instance.  In 
sickness  let  the  sick  man  inform  the  elders  of  the 
church.  Let  them,  representing  the  congrega¬ 
tion  of  the  faithful,  pray  over  the  sick  man, 
accompanying  that  prayer  with  the  symbolic  and 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  HEALITY 


143 


sacramental  act  of  anointing  with  oil  in  the 
Name  of  the  Lord.  Then  the  prayer  of  faith 
shall  heal  the  sick  man,  and  the  Lord  shall  bring 
him  up  out  of  his  sickness;  and  even  if  it  were 
occasioned  by  some  sin,  that  sin  shall  be  for¬ 
given  him.  Such  is  the  simple  and  undeniable 
sense  of  the  apostolic  argument  for  the  efficacy 
of  prayer /’ 

We  conclude  our  comments  on  this  passage  by 
quoting  the  following  article,  which  lately  appeared 
in  an  English  periodical,  and  which  we  deem  worthy 
of  earnest  consideration. 

“I  Thought — ” 

“‘I  thought/  said  Naaman  (2  Kings  5:11).  ‘I 
verily  thought,’  said  Paul,  before  Agrippa  (Acts  26: 
9).  ‘Thou  thoughtest/  says  God,  to  the  wicked  in 
Psalm  50:21.  Yes;  but  they  all  thought  what  was 
not  true.  And  so  men  ‘think’  today,  and  puzzle  their 
brains,  to  find  out  means  of  dealing  with  sickness  and 
disease,  that  will  commend  themselves  to  them  and 
other  thinkers. 

“But  where  are  we  told  to  think  out  the  course  to 
take  in  such  important  circumstances?  Has  God  a 
way?  If  so,  has  He  revealed  it?  Is  there  such  a 
thing  as  a  hint  that,  in  this  particular,  God  commends 
the  old  human  plan  ‘every  one  to  his  own  way’? 
(Isaiah  53:6). 

“What  does  He  say  about  our  ways,  and  our 
thoughts?  It  is  this: — ‘Let  the  wicked  forsake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts’  (Isaiah 
55  :7).  It  is  drastic  advice,  but  it  must  be  done  if  we 
are  ever  to  arrive  at  The  Truth.  To  forsake  one’s 
cautiously  planned  way,  and  one’s  well  weighed 


144 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


thoughts,  is  not  a  small  matter ;  and  it  cannot  be  done, 
except  the  glory  of  God’s  way,  and  God’s  thoughts, 
dawn  upon  the  seeker. 

“Every  man  will  continue  to  ‘think’  for  himself 
until  he  learns  to  submit  to  God’s  thoughts,  expressed 
in  His  Word.  If  one  were  to  judge  by  the  practice 
prevailing  among  the  professed  people  of  God,  and 
also  among  the  prudent  of  the  world,  one  might  well 
conclude  that,  as  regards  sickness,  and  provision  for 
it,  the  people  of  God  had  been  left  without  a  revela¬ 
tion  of  His  mind. 

“But  He  has  made  known  His  will  in  the  matter, 
though  a  great  proportion  of  His  people  have  not  the 
disposition  to  seek  diligently  to  know  it.  There  are 
various  other  methods  of  dealing  with  sickness  that 
are  not  prescribed  by  God.  These  are  sought  with 
avidity  by  the  majority  of  saints,  as  by  the  people  of 
the  world. 

“Is  it  not  full  time  for  believers  to  challenge  the 
methods  they  follow  in  dealing  with  the  consequences 
of  sin?  Has  God  singled  out  the  effects  of  sin  in  the 
mortal  body  as  not  included  in  the  work  of  redemp¬ 
tion?  I  have  spirit,  soul,  and  body.  Did  Christ  die 
for  me,  or  for  two-thirds  of  me  ?  The  Bible  teaches 
no  fractional  salvation,  although  preachers  often  do. 

“Observe  the  awful  immensity  and  the  ever¬ 
present  crushing  weight  of  disease  among  Adam’s  de¬ 
scendants  !  If  not  the  greatest  it  is  among  the  great¬ 
est  of  problems  that  tax  the  resources  of  men.  Small 
wonder  that  men  undervalue  Redemption  if  there  is 
nothing  in  it  of  deliverance  from  what  is  commonly 
their  greatest  burden. 

“But  in  truth  it  is  far  otherwise.  The  atonement 
of  Christ  covers  all  the  consequences  of  sin  in  every 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


145 


part  of  my  being.  Therefore,  if  I  am  Christ’s  by 
purchase,  I  neglect  His  salvation,  if  I  seek  to  be 
healed  from  any  sin-caused  morbid  condition  in  any 
way  but  via  Redemption.  Any  other  way — however 
highly  esteemed  among  men — is  a  wrong  way. 

“  ‘Himself  took  our  infirmities  and  bare  our  sick¬ 
nesses’  must  be  no  more  explained  away  than  ‘His 
own  self  bare  our  sins  in  His  own  bodv  on  the  tree’ 

1/ 

(Matthew  8:17;  1  Peter  2:24).  Among  orthodox  be¬ 
lievers  it  is  readily  believed  that  the  sins  of  the  ‘wom¬ 
an  in  the  city  which  was  a  sinner’  (Luke  7  :37)  need¬ 
ed  the  blood  to  make  atonement;  but  it  appears  not 
to  be  commonly  observed  that  the  disease,  the  issue 
of  blood,  in  that  other  woman  needed  atonement  also 
(Luke  8:43).” 


CHAPTER  XII 


The  Example  of  Elijah.  The  Latter  Rain. 

Converting  a  Brother 

The  concluding  words  of  the  Epistle  of  James  are 
full  of  encouragement,  and  are  well  calculated  to  sup¬ 
port  and  strengthen  us  in  that  without  which  it  is  im¬ 
possible  to  please  God  or  to  lead  a  life  which  brings 
glory  to  Him  and  blessing  to  ourselves — our  faith. 
Thus  we  are  reminded  at  the  end  of  the  Epistle  of 
that  which  is  prominent  in  it  throughout — practical 
faith  in  the  living  God  Who  hears  and  answers  believ¬ 
ing  prayer. 

The  benefit  of  the  example  of  the  men  of  faith  will 
be  lost  to  us  if  we  regard  them  (as  we  are  prone  to  do) 
as  persons  of  a  different  order  from  ourselves.  There¬ 
fore,  in  recalling  to  our  minds  the  wonderful  things 
that  were  brought  to  pass  through  the  prayer  of 
Elijah,  the  writer  of  our  Epistle  impresses  upon  us 
the  fact  that  the  great  prophet  was  a  man  of  like  pas¬ 
sions,  or  feelings,  as  ourselves.  It  follows  that  results 
of  the  same  sort  may  be  accomplished  through  our 
prayers. 

Elijah  is  mentioned  as  an  illustration  of  the  gen¬ 
eral  statement  that  “the  effectual  fervent  prayer  of 
a  righteous  man  availeth  much.”  Hence  we  are  to 
learn  from  Elijah ’s  history,  not  what  a  mighty  proph¬ 
et  may  do,  but  what  a  “righteous  man”  may  do, 
through  effectual  supplications  to  God.  The  only 
conditions  here  laid  down  are,  first ,  that  the  man  must 
be  “righteous”  (having,  as  we  understand  it,  the 
righteousness  of  faith,  and  also  practical  righteous- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OP  REALITY 


147 


ness)  and  second,  that  his  supplication  be  fervent  and 
effectual.  These  words  throw  further  light  upon  the 
expression,  “the  prayer  of  faith.” 

What  was  brought  to  pass  through  the  prayers  of 
Elijah  is  stated  in  verses  17  and  18:  “He  prayed  ear¬ 
nestly”  (literally  with  prayer  he  prayed)  “that  it 
might  not  rain ;  and  it  rained  not  on  the  earth  by  the 
space  of  three  years  and  six  months.  And  he  prayed 
again,  and  the  heaven  gave  rain,  and  the  earth 
brought  forth  her  fruit.” 

There  is  doubtless  much  instruction  for  us  in  these 
verses,  and  instruction  which  is  well  worth  seeking 
for.  Let  us  in  the  first  place  take  notice  of  the  state¬ 
ment  that  Elijah  “prayed  with  prayer .”  His  was 
real  prayer.  He  was  consciously  in  the  presence  of 
God  asking  of  One  Who  11  is  and  is  a  Rewarder  of 
them  that  diligently  seek  Him.”  Everything  de¬ 
pends  upon  our  praying,  not  with  mere  words,  but 
with  prayer.  Evidently  Elijah’s  fervent  prayer,  and 
his  confidence  in  praying  it,  were  based  upon  some 
knowledge  that  had  been  given  him  concerning  the 
will  of  God.  Otherwise  he  would  not  have  known 
what  to  ask ;  or  when  to  ask  that  the  heavens  be  closed, 
and  when  that  they  be  opened  to  give  rain.  It  is  only 
when  “we  ask  anything  according  to  His  will ”  that 
we  can  have  “confidence”  in  asking  (1  J.  5:14,  15). 
How  the  knowledge  of  God’s  will  was  imparted  to 
Elijah  is  not  recorded ;  but  we  know  that  God  com¬ 
municated  with  him  frequently.  In  the  case  of  Dan¬ 
iel,  the  information  on  which  he  based  his  model  pray¬ 
er  (Dan.  9:2-19),  was  “understood  by  books,”  that 
is,  the  Scriptures,  and  in  particular  the  writings  of 
Jeremiah. 

We  also  have  the  Scriptures  to  make  known  to  us 


148 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


the  will  of  God,  and  in  the  case  before  us,  God’s  will 
concerning  the  sick  among  His  people  is  plainly 
stated ;  and  not  only  so,  but  we  are  expressly  com¬ 
manded  to  pray  for  one  another  that  we  may  be 
healed.  Hence,  we  are  supplied  with  all  that  is  need¬ 
ed  for  fervent  and  confident  prayer ;  and  we  are  with¬ 
out  excuse  if  we  fail  in  this  plain  duty.  Would  it  sur¬ 
prise  us  to  hear  that  many  of  God’s  people  have  died 
because  of  failure  and  neglect  of  the  command  here 
given  to  the  saints?  Let  us  then  awake  to  a  sense  of 
our  responsibility  in  regard  to  those  that  are  sick. 

There  is  another  side  to  the  lesson;  for  not  only 
is  the  knowledge  of  the  will  of  God  needed  as  a  basis 
for  effectual  prayer  (see  Rom.  8:26,  27),  but  the 
prayers  of  the  saints  play  a  real  part  in  the  accom¬ 
plishment  of  His  will.  Here  is  where  our  natural 
reason  would  lead  us  astray ;  for  we  would  argue  that, 
if  it  be  the  will  of  God  to  do  a  certain  thing,  He  will 
do  it  regardless  of  what  we  may  do  or  fail  to  do,  and 
that  therefore  our  prayers  would  be  superfluous. 
But  the  Word  of  God  teaches  clearly,  in  the  passages 
we  have  cited,  that  God  calls  His  people  into  fellow¬ 
ship  with  Himself  in  the  doing  of  His  good  will,  and 
that  He  makes  use  of  their  prayers  to  that  end. 

The  Latter  Rain 

Two  striking  instances  are  given,  in  the  chapter 
before  us,  of  rich  and  fruitful  blessing  from  God  fol¬ 
lowing  a  season  of  sore  trial  and  affliction.  One  is  the 
case  of  Job,  the  other  that  of  Israel  in  the  days  of 
Elijah. 

With  Job  the  turning  point  came  when  his  pro¬ 
testations  of  self-righteousness  were  turned  into  the 
confession  “I  am  vile,”  and  when  he  besought  God 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


149 


to  “hear/’  saying*  “I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in 
dust  and  ashes”  (Job.  40:4;  42:4-6).  Then  the  Lord 
ordered  his  three  friends  to  offer  up  a  burnt  offering 
(and  a  very  large  one)  through  Job,  and  said,  “My 
servant  Job  shall  pray  for  you.”  And  it  is  recorded 
that,  “The  Lord  turned  the  captivity  of  Job,  when  he 
prayed  for  his  friends;  also  the  Lord  gave  Job  twice 
as  much  as  he  had  before ”  (42:7-10). 

Turning  now  to  Elijah  we  would  recall  that  in  his 
days  the  wickedness  of  Israel  had  culminated  in  the 
building  again  of  Jericho,  the  city  of  the  curse.  Then 
Elijah  suddenly  appeared  and  pronounced  the  judg¬ 
ment  of  God:  “There  shall  not  be  dew  nor  rain 
these  years  but  according  to  my  word”  (1  K.  16:34, 
17:1).  Then  followed  the  three  and  a  half  years  of 
sore  distress,  during  which  time  Elijah  was  received 
by  the  Gentile  widow,  whose  son  was  raised  from  the 
dead,  after  her  sin  had  been  brought  to  remembrance. 
In  this  we  can  see,  especially  with  the  aid  of  the 
Lord’s  reference  to  the  same  incident  (Lu.  4:24-26), 
a  shadow  of  the  reception  of  the  Word  of  God  by  the 
Gentiles,  bringing  conviction  of  sin  and  new  life  to 
them,  during  the  time  the  blessing  of  God  is  withheld 
from  the  earthly  nation  of  Israel.  Then  came  the  sin- 
offering  and  the  intercession  of  Elijah  on  Mount  Car¬ 
mel,  whereby  the  people  were  brought  down  on  their 
faces  before  God;  and  then  followed  his  seven  times 
repeated  prayer  for  rain.  It  is  of  interest  to  note 
that  Elijah  gave  to  Ahab  the  assurance  that  rain  was 
about  to  come  even  before  he  prayed  for  it  (1  K.  18: 
41).  This  showed  his  strong  confidence. 

The  bearing  of  these  incidents  on  the  teaching  of 
James  5 :11-16  is  easily  seen,  for  we  have  in  that 
passage  the  Lord’s  teaching  concerning  seasons  of 


150 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


affliction  by  sickness,  especially  when  sin  is  the  cause 
thereof,  and  we  have  also  the  appointed  way  of  reach¬ 
ing  ‘  ‘  the  end  of  the  Lord  ’  ’  through  confession  and  in¬ 
tercessory  prayer. 

But  the  lesson  seems  to  have  a  wider  application. 
In  verse  7  (Jam.  5)  is  the  exhortation  to  be  patient 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  even  as  “the  husband¬ 
man  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth  *'  * 
until  he  receive  the  early  and  the  latter  rain ”  There 
is  an  obvious  connection  between  this  and  verse  18, 
where  we  read  that  Elijah  prayed  again,  “and  the 
heaven  gave  rain,  and  the  earth  brought  forth  her 
fruit.” 

There  is  much  in  these  Scriptures  to  encourage  the 
people  of  God,  who  are  now  waiting  in  patience  for 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  from  heaven,  and  who  mean¬ 
time  are  passing  through  a  season  of  dearth  and  af¬ 
fliction,  to  seek,  by  confession  of  their  sins  and  by 
fervent  and  effectual  prayer,  for  such  a  “rain”  of 
blessing  from  on  high  as  will  bring  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  throughout  the  whole  world  to  a  speedy  com¬ 
pletion.  It  is  plainly  to  be  seen,  moreover,  that  these 
are  the  days  of  the  heaping  up  of  wealth  by  the  ‘  ‘  rich 
men,”  and  of  the  calamities  that  are  feared  by  them. 
And  since  we  have  the  assurance  that  when  the  days 
of  the  vast  accumulations  of  worldly  riches  arrive, 
then  “the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh,”  there  is 
every  incentive  now  for  us  to  act  in  response  to  these 
exhortations  of  Scripture. 

There  is,  in  the  Old  Testament,  much  that  is  sug¬ 
gestive  in  connection  with  the  subject  of  “the  latter 
rain.  ’  ’  It  would  be  aside  from  our  present  purpose  to 
attempt  an  exposition  of  those  Scriptures.  But,  in 
view  of  extravagant  and  fanciful  doctrines  which, 


JAMES :  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


151 


within  recent  years,  have  sprung  up  and  have  spread 
far  and  wide,  it  would  be  well  to  bear  in  mind  that 
the  mighty  “spirit  of  error”  often  seeks,  and  with 
great  success,  to  cast  discredit  upon  important  and 
seasonable  truth  by  raising  up  a  counterfeit  of  it,  or 
by  associating  it  with  some  fanatical  movement,  or 
some  system  of  false  doctrine.  By  such  means  the 
entire  subject  of  the  Lord’s  second  coming  and  also 
that  of  trusting  God  for  the  care  and  healing  of  the 
mortal  body,  have  been  discredited  in  the  eyes  of 
many  who  do  not  take  the  trouble,  in  the  light  of 
Scripture,  to  distinguish  the  genuine  from  the  coun¬ 
terfeit. 

Converting  a  Brother 

The  last  words  of  our  Epistle  manifest  in  a  special 
way  that  spirit  of  love  for  the  brethren  which  per¬ 
vades  the  whole. 

No  greater  service  to  the  erring  brother  can  be 
rendered  than  that  of  “converting”  him,  that  is  to 
say,  bringing  him  back  again  to  the  right  ways  of  the 
Lord.  It  is  easier  to  censure  a  brother  who  goes 
wrong,  or  even  to  bring  him  under  chastening  or  dis¬ 
cipline  for  his  fault,  than  to  seek,  in  grace  and  lowli¬ 
ness  of  mind,  to  recover  and  restore  him.  We  shall 
do  well,  therefore,  to  let  these  words,  which  bring  our 
precious  and  practical  Epistle  to  a  close,  sink  into 
our  hearts : 

“Brethren,  if  any  of  you  do  err  from  the 
truth,  and  one  convert  him ;  let  him  know  that 
he  which  converteth  the  sinner  from  the  error  of 
his  way  shall  save  a  soul  from  death,  and  shall 
hide  a  multitude  of  sins.” 

What  these  words  call  for  is  a  ministry  of  love  to 
the  erring  brother.  It  is  written  concerning  our 


152 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  His  present  office  of  High  Priest 
in  heaven,  that  He  is  able  to  “have  compassion  on 
the  ignorant,  and  on  them  that  are  out  of  the  way” 
(Heb.  5  :2)  ;  and  it  is  part  of  His  work  as  Priest  and 
Advocate  to  seek  the  recovery  of  such.  For  it  is  of 
erring  saints  that  these  Scriptures  speak.  The  same 
“  compassion  ’  ’  towards  the  ignorant  and  erring 
should  be  found  in  us;  and  we  too  should  be  ever 
ready  to  take  part  in  the  same  ministry  of  restoration. 

We  are  reminded  by  this  passage  of  the  Lord’s 
words  to  Peter,  when  that  warm-hearted  and  impul¬ 
sive  disciple  was  protesting  his  love  and  devotion  to 
his  Lord  (which  indeed  was  real,  though  he  knew  not 
his  own  weakness)  to  whom  the  Lord  said,  “I  have 
prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not;  and  when 
thou  art  converted”  (or  turned  back  again) 
“strengthen  thy  brethren.” 

There  is  a  conversion  which  is  necessary  before  we 
can  receive  forgiveness  of  our  sins  and  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  (Mat.  18:3)  ;  and  there  is  also  a 
conversion  needed  before  we  can  strengthen  our 
brethren. 

This  lesson  is  taught  also  by  Paul  in  Galatians  6 : 
1,  2,  where  he  says :  ‘  ‘  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken 
in  a  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual  restore  such  an  one, 
in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  thyself,  lest 
thou  also  be  tempted”  (or  put  to  the  proof).  The 
strong  implication  is  that,  had  we  been  placed  in  pre¬ 
cisely  the  same  circumstances  as  the  erring  brother, 
we  might,  and  probably  would,  have  failed  under  the 
trial,  even  as  he  did.  The  very  form  in  which  the  les¬ 
son  is  expressed  by  Paul  is  strikingly  like  that  adopt¬ 
ed  by  James. 

The  former  points  out  that,  in  thus  bearing  one  an- 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


153 


other’s  burdens,  we  “fulfil  the  law  of  Christ.”  The 
latter  (James)  reveals  the  great  results  that  may  be 
accomplished  through  this  ministry  of  restoring  the 
erring  brother.  For  he  tells  us  that  “he  which  con- 
verteth  the  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way  shall  save 
a  soul  from  death,  and  hide  a  multitude  of  sins.” 
The  “soul”  is  that  of  the  believer,  and  the  “death” 
referred  to  is  death  in  its  ordinary  sense  of  the  sepa¬ 
ration  of  soul  and  body.  This  is  in  accordance  with 
the  New  Testament  usage  of  the  word  “soul,”  as  seen, 
for  example,  in  the  Lord’s  parable  of  the  rich  man, 
who  made  great  provision  for  the  enjoyment  of  his 
“soul,”  but  to  whom  God  said,  “Thou  fool,  this  night 
thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee”  (Luke  12:16-21). 

As  pointed  out  in  our  comments  on  James  1 :21,  the 
soul  is  the  natural  life  of  the  creature,  the  seat  of  the 
experience  of  sensations  of  pleasure  and  pain.  It 
should  be  carefully  distinguished  from  “spirit”  and 
“heart”  (see  1  Cor.  2:14,  where  “natural”  is  liter¬ 
ally  “  soulical,”  in  contrast  with  “spiritual”;  1  Cor. 
15  :44-46,  where  the  same  contrast  is  seen ;  1  Thess. 
5:23;  Heb.  4:12,  &c.). 

To  “save  a  soul  from  death”  is  to  perform  a  great 
service  to  a  fellow  saint ;  for  it  prolongs  his  opportu¬ 
nities  for  the  bringing  forth  of  fruit  to  the  glory  of 
God,  and  for  gaining  for  himself  eternal  rewards. 
So  we  have  once  more  an  example  of  the  practical 
character  of  this  Epistle. 

The  words  “save  a  soul  from  death”  connect  the 
concluding  passage  with  what  immediately  precedes  it 
concerning  ministry  to,  and  prayer  for,  the  recovery 
of  the  sick  believer.  The  word  “save”  in  verse  20 
is  identical  (even  to  the  mood  and  tense)  with  the 
word  “save”  in  verse  15.  And  the  meaning  is  pre- 


154 


JAMES:  THE  EPISTLE  OF  REALITY 


cisely  the  same  in  each  verse ;  for  it  is  the  saving  of 
the  soul  from  death  that  is  in  contemplation  in  each 
case.  The  relation  between  the  two  parts  of  the 
chapter  is  still  closer  in  that  in  both  the  danger  of 
death  is  because  of  sin. 

“And  shall  hide  a  multitude  of  sins.”  The  word 
“hide”  is  literally  to  cover.  Peter  uses  the  same 
word  in  saying,  “And  above  all  things  have  fervent 
love  among  yourselves ;  for  love  shall  cover  the  multi¬ 
tude  of  sins”  (1  Pet.  4:10). 

This  might  be  taken  to  mean  to  cover  as  with  si¬ 
lence,  thus  hiding  a  wrong  doing  from  others,  as  in 
Proverbs  17  :10,  ‘  ‘  He  that  cover eth  a  transgression 
seeketh  love”  (see  also  Prov.  10:12  and  11:13).  But 
there  is  another  Greek  word  for  cover  by  silence.  It  is 
found  in  1  Cor.  13:17,  where  “Love  hear  eth  all 
things”  is  literally  cover  eth  all  things. 

So  we  conclude,  both  from  the  context,  and  from 
the  meaning  of  the  word  itself,  that  James  and  Peter 
are  speaking  of  a  restoring  ministry  which  turns  an 
erring  brother  back  to  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and 
which,  through  bringing  him  to  repentance  and  con¬ 
fession  of  his  sins,  procures  the  forgiveness  of  these, 
even  though  they  be  a  “multitude.”  For  it  is  writ¬ 
ten  that  “if  we  confess  our  sins,  He  (God)  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins  and  to  cleanse  us  from 
all  unrighteousness”  (1  J.  1:9).  Thus,  by  such  a 
ministry  as  that  to  which  we  are  called  by  the  last 
verse  of  James,  we  may  not  only  be  the  means  of  sav¬ 
ing  a  precious  life  for  further  usefulness  in  the  world, 
but  may  also  be  instrumental  in  the  putting  away  of 
sins  which  otherwise  would  confront  the  wrongdoer 
at  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ. 


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tion.  With  new  chapter  on  the  results  of  the 
war.  (Cloth)  . $1.25 

God’s  Pilgrims.  Their  Dangers,  their  Resources, 
their  Rewards.  A  special  message  to  those 
people  of  God  who  wish  to  be  strangers  and 

pilgrims  on  earth.  (Paper)  . . $  .50 

(Cloth)  . $1.00 

Evolution  at  the  Bar.  The  theory  of  evolution 
clearly  defined,  thoroughly  examined,  and 
completely  refuted.  A  Book  for  everybody. 
(Cloth)  . . . $  .75 

God’s  Gospel  and  God’s  Righteousness.  Expo¬ 
sition  of  Romans  1  to  5.  (Cloth)  . $  .75 

God’s  Gift  and  our  Response.  Exposition  of  Ro¬ 
mans  5  to  8.  Companion  to  the  above. 

(Cloth)  . $  .75 


God’s  Love  and  God’s  Children.  Exposition  of 
Romans  8:14-16  27.  Companion  to  the  above. 
(Cloth)  . $  .75 

Never  Man  Spake  Like  This  Man.  An  attempt 
to  show  from  internal  evidences  contained  in 
the  sayings  of  Christ  the  deity  of  the  one  who 
uttered  them  and  the  authenticity  of  the  rec¬ 
ords  in  which  they  are  found.  (Paper)  . $  .10 

(Cloth)  . . . $  .50 

The  World  and  Its  God.  An  examination  of  the 
doctrines  of  materialism  in  the  light  of  Gene¬ 
sis.  (Paper)  . $  .30 

(Cloth)  . $  .75 

The  Chronology  of  the  Bible.  “From  the  be¬ 

ginning  of  time  to  the  fulness  thereof.”  A 
great  subject  now  made  plain  and  deeply  in¬ 
teresting.  (Cloth)  .  $1.00 


PAMPHLETS  ON  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS 
By  Philip  Mauro 

The  Last  Call  to  the  Godly  Remnant.  A  timely  word 
to  the  people  of  God  in  present  day  conditions. 

An  exposition  of  Haggai’s  prophecy . 20 

Believing  on  the  Son  of  God  . 20 

Shall  We  Smite  With  the  Sword?  or  the  saint’s  atti¬ 
tude  toward  war . 15 

Characteristics  of  the  Age  and  Their  Significance..  .10 
The  Christian's  Choice.  Self-life  or  Christ-life,  which?  .10 

Sanctification  as  Taught  in  the  Scriptures  Contrasted 

with  Current  Teaching  . 15 

Watch,  be  Ready.  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins . 12 

God's  Salvation  . 10 

The  Sign  of  the  Prophet  Jonah . 10 

Concerning  the  Sabbath  . 15 

From  the  Country  of  Moab . 10 

Christ's  Return.  An  examination  of  Dr.  Shailer  Mat¬ 
thew’s  pamphlet  . 10 

The  House  of  God . 10 

The  Diseases  of  Egypt  . 10 

Sickness  Among  Saints  . 10 

KINGDOM  PAMPHLETS 
By  Philip  Mauro 

More  Than  a  Prophet.  An  important  and  timely  mes¬ 
sage  on  the  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist . 15 

Miracles,  Signs  and  Wonders . 15 

The  Character  of  Matthew's  Gospel  . 10 

His  Accusation.  Matt.  27:36-37  . 10 

The  Beginning  of  the  Gospel  . 05 

Salt  and  Light.  What  believers  are  to  the  world, 

being  an  appendix  to  “After  This” . 05 

The  Ministry  of  Jesus  Christ.  Romans  15:8.  Being 
one  of  the  chapters  in  the  book  entitled  “God’s 
Present  Kingdom”  . 05 

Paul  and  The  Mystery.  Romans  16:25 . 05 

Is  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  Law?  By  C.  I.  Scofield 

with  comments  by  Philip  Mauro . 10 

Two  Addresses  on  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount . 15 

The  Kingdom  Heresies  of  S.  D.  Gordon  . 15 

David  and  the  Gospel  . 03 


PAMPHLETS  ON  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS 
By  Philip  Mauro 


By  What  Means  . 10 

God’s  Way  in  Sickness . 05 

Path  of  the  Just . 05 

The  Truth  About  Evolution  . 05 

The  Claims  of  Christ,  His  Demands,  Our  Response..  .05 

The  World-War  Fulfilling  Prophecy  . 05 

The  Present  State  of  the  Crops  . 05 

Edifying  of  the  Body  of  Christ.  This  booklet  is  Chap¬ 
ter  6  of  the  Last  Call,  and  contains  very  important 
teaching  for  these  last  days.  The  believer’s  path¬ 
way  through  this  world  . 05 

What  Denomination?  .  .05 

Things  Most  Surely  Believed  Among  Us.  Luke  1:1..  .05 

Receiving  One  Another  . 05 

The  Life  Boat  and  Death  Boat . . . 05 

The  Titanic  Catastrophe  . 05 

The  Word  of  God  not  Bound  . 05 

In  Heavenly  Places  . 05 

Why  We  Separated  From  the  World  . 05 

A  Testimony.  The  story  of  Mr.  Mauro’s  conversion  .05 

Apostles’  Fellowship.  A  letter  to  an  Episcopalian 

clergyman  . 03 

Concerning  “the  Order  of  the  Star  in  the  East” . 05 

“Eugenics,’1’  A  New  “Movement” . 05 

Baptism:  To  What  Name?  .05.  Per  dor.  .40 

Epistle  of  James,  Is  it  for  this  dispensation? . 05 


“We  Want  A  Bible,”  A  reply  to  H.  G.  Wells.  .03. 

Per  Doz.  .30 

Where  Did  the  Spirit  Descend  at  Pentecost?  .03 

Per  doz.  .30 

“I  Was  Robbed."  The  effects  of  the  modern  postpone¬ 


ment  error  . 01 

The  Commandments  of  Christ — according  to  Scrip¬ 
ture  and  according  to  the  “Scofield”  Bible . 02 

Samson  and  the  Bees.  (By  T.  Bolton,  with  notes  by 

P.  Mauro.)  . 15 

“The  Doctor  Says” — .  .02 

Speaking  in  Tongues  .  .05 


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